After a car accident or a sports injury, knowing how to recognize whether you or someone else has sustained a spinal cord injury is crucial˳ If you encounter someone and suspect this injury, one of the most important things to remember is that you should avoid moving the person if at all possible˳ Towels can be placed on both sides of the neck, and the person should be kept still until help arrives˳ In some cases, knowing how to spot a cord injury and what you should do can allow you or another accident victim to avoid some of the catastrophic consequences of spinal cord injuries˳
The symptoms described in this section are ones you should look for immediately after an accident or injury has occurred˳ If you observe or are experiencing any of them, call 911 immediately˳ Some of the eight most common symptoms of a spinal cord injury that you may experience include:
- Pain or pressure in the head, back or neck area
- Weakness
- An inability to move any part of your body
- Numbness or tingling in the extremities
- A loss of control of bowel or bladder function
- Difficulty walking or maintaining your balance
- Trouble breathing
- Note: If your neck or back is severely twisted or in an odd position, this is also a sign that may point to injury
While some cord injuries are obvious-as in cases where the person becomes paralyzed below the neck or chest-others may result in less severe symptoms˳ Since there were no obvious signs of trauma, you may have even refrained from seeing a doctor˳ In these instances, you may not even know you have a spinal cord injury right away˳ However, there are symptoms to look for that may indicate a fall or car accident was more serious than you first thought˳ A common one is a loss of sensation in any part of the body˳ You may have trouble sensing hot and cold, or you may even lose your sense of touch entirely˳ Other signs to look for include pains or acute stinging feelings that don’t have an obvious cause, spasms, unusual increases in reflexes, and problems with breathing or coughing˳ Finally, losing control of bowel or bladder functions or experiencing changes in sexual function might mean you sustained this injury that you are still unaware of˳
If any of these symptoms present themselves after an injury, it’s important that you get checked out to see whether you have a spinal cord injury˳ Better still, always see a doctor if you are involved in an accident or crash-it’s the best way to know whether you sustained internal injuries˳
Seeking out expert medical attention should be your first priority if you suspect you may have sustained a spinal cord injury in a car crash or fall˳ Unfortunately, even with recent medical advances, these types of injuries often result in permanent paralysis or partial loss of function of one or more areas of the body˳
Source by https://ezinearticles˳com/?Common-Symptoms-to-Help-Detect-Spinal-Cord-Injury&id=3375001
