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Spinal injury - Overview

Alternative Names

Neck injury

Definition of Spinal injury:

The spinal cord contains the nerves that carry messages between your brain and body. The cord passes through your neck and back. A spinal cord injury is very serious because it can cause loss of movement (paralysis) below the site of the injury.

Considerations:

When someone has a spinal injury, additional movement may cause further damage to the nerves in the cord and can sometimes mean the difference between life and death.

If you think someone could possibly have a spinal injury, do not move the injured person even a little bit, unless it is absolutely necessary (for example, if you need to get someone out of a burning car).

If you are not sure if a person has a spinal injury, assume that he or she does have one.

Causes:

Bullet or stab wound
Direct trauma to the face, neck, head, chest, or back (for example, a car accident)
Diving accident
Electric shock
Extreme twisting of the middle of the body
Landing on the head during a sports injury
Fall from a great height

Skeletal spine

Vertebra, cervical (neck)

Vertebra, lumbar (low back)

Vertebra, thoracic (mid back)

Vertebral column

Central nervous system

Spinal cord injury

Spinal anatomy

Two person roll - series

Reviewed last on: 7/10/2009
Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine; C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Assistant Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Dept of Orthopaedic Surgery. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Hockberger RS, Kaji AH, Newton EJ. Spinal injuries. In: Marx J, ed. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. St Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2006:chap 40.

Hoyt DB, Coimbra R, Acosta J. Management of acute trauma. In: Townsend CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 20.

DeLee JC, Drez, Jr., D, Miller MD, eds. DeLee and Drez’s Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders; 2003:798,837.

Spinal cord trauma

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