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# Spine and Neck Injuries
## How the spine gets injured
Inside the bones of the spine is the spinal cord, an extension of the
brain. An injury to the spinal cord can cause life-long disability
or death. If there is any chance the person hurt his spine, you can
protect him from further injury by *keeping his neck and back still!*
Assume that the spine may be injured after any car, motorcycle, or
bicycle crash, any big fall, or blow to the back or head. Keep the
neck and back still so they cannot turn side to side or up and down,
which could further damage the spine. Tape a roll of clothes,
fabric, foam, or something else around the neck to keep it from
moving.
Neck brace
Do not give pain medicine until you are sure there is no injury to
the spine. Pain reminds the person to keep still.
## Signs of spine injury
* Pain or tenderness along the neck or spine
* Weakness or loss of movement in the arms or legs
* Numbness in the arms or legs
Other signs of spine injury include loss of control of urine or
stool, difficulty breathing, or shock. If there is any doubt, it is
safest to treat the person as if he has a spine injury.
Raise arms
To check for spine injury, ask the person to stay flat on his back
and to raise his knees. Then ask him to raise his arms. Can he move
them? Does he feel pain? Touch the fingers and toes. Can he feel
your touch? Can he feel your pinch?
If there is a place on the body below which the person cannot move or
feel, the bones in the spine are broken. But with help from others,
you can prevent his problems from getting worse.
If he still has feeling and movement, feel the spine itself.
Carefully log roll him to his side to check his whole back.
Log roll
Log roll
Keep the head, neck, and back in one straight line as you roll.
Then keep the body still, and gently feel each bump along the back
bone, from the back of the head to between the buttocks. Feel for
bones out of place, breaks, or pain.
Use the same group effort to carefully roll him back.
(If the person is vomiting, place something under his head so he can
stay on his side.)
If there is pain or tenderness, the person needs x-rays to see if
there are smaller breaks in the bones. He will need to rest in one
position, being turned every few hours but keeping the neck and back
still, until pain subsides in a week or so.
Back board
Back board
To move the person, log roll him onto his side and put a long flat
board, like a wooden door, under him. Then roll him back onto the
board. Use a few long strips of strong tape or cloth to secure his
head, chest, and thighs to the board. If you must keep the person on
this board for a long time, you should roll him to his side every
couple of hours.
A person who has had an injury to the spine needs long-term physical
therapy. Seek help from those with experience, or use a book like
*Disabled Village Children* or *A Health Handbook for Women with
Disabilities,* both available from Hesperian.
Disabled Village Children
A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities
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