Evaluating the neck for spinal cord injury is nearly impossible for the non-medical person to do. But there are simple tests that paramedics and other health-care professionals use to determine if someone has suffered a spinal cord injury. This article presents one way to evaluate the neck for spinal cord injury; this is not the only way, nor is it recommended for lay people.
Instructions
Evaluate the Neck for Spinal Cord Injury
1. First, determine if the patient's "method of injury" (MOI) was something that is likely to cause a neck or spinal cord injury. For example, falling from a 20 foot ledge is a likely way to hurt your neck. Tripping over the cat is not. But falling down five stairs can go either way.
2. If the MOI is positive (20 foot ledge), assume the neck and spinal cord are injured and act accordingly. If the MOI is negative (the cat), assume the neck and spinal cord are fine. But if the MOI is uncertain (falling down five stairs), proceed with evaluating the neck for spinal cord injury.
3. Is the patient reliable? Are they able to talk, answer your questions appropriately and know what happened? Are they a young child or a confused elderly patient? If they are confused, very young, very old or unable to speak appropriately, assume the neck and spinal cord are injured. If not, move on to the next step.
4. Feel down the patient's neck and spine. Do they feel pain when you touch their neck or spine? If they feel pain, assume the neck and spinal cord are injured. If not, move on to the next step.
5. Do they have normal feeling in their arms, legs, hands and feet? Any numbness or tingling? Any shooting pains? If they feel pain, numbness or tingling in their extremeties, assume their neck and spinal cord are injured. If not, move on to the next step.
6. Gently help the patient to sit or stand up. If they feel pain in their neck or back at any time during this step, stop what you are doing and assume their neck and spinal cord are injured. If they can get up without pain, their spinal cord and neck are probably okay.
7. Again, this is just one method of evaluating the neck for spinal cord injury, and it is by no means to be performed by non-medical personnel. If you ever come across someone who may have hurt their neck or spinal cord, do not move them. Immobilize their head and neck, and call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
Tags: neck spinal, spinal cord, cord injured, neck spinal cord, neck spinal cord, spinal cord injured