EMERGENCY SIGNS OF A SPINAL CORD INJURY

A spinal cord injury must be treated with extreme caution, as one wrong move can cause additional damage.

This is why it's so important to understand the emergency signs of a spinal cord injury. Some of the following may present after an accident:

• Excruciating back and/or neck pain
• Paralysis in any part of the body
• Tingling, numbness or loss of sensation in the toes, fingers, feet or hands
• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Difficulty walking or maintaining balance
• Impaired breathing

If you have reason to believe that somebody has suffered a back or neck injury, be sure to do the following:

• Keep the person still until professional help arrives
• Provide first aid, such as stopping any bleeding
• Hold the head steady as to prevent additional damage, such as permanent paralysis

Since a spinal cord injury is so serious, it's always important to seek medical treatment. Even if you aren't suffering from many advanced symptoms, you could still be dealing with a spinal cord injury. It's better to be safe than sorry, as paralysis can develop over time.

The time between suffering a spinal cord injury and receiving treatment should be kept as short as possible, as this increases the likelihood of a full recovery.

It's important to understand the emergency signs of a spinal cord injury, as you never know if you or a loved one could come face to face with this major medical problem.
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Your health should always come first, but once you are stable you can learn more about the cause of the accident and your legal rights.

Source: Mayo Clinic, "Symptoms," accessed Aug. 03, 2017