The spine performs an important function: it supports the trunk in an upright position and is a key link in the musculoskeletal system. Any injury to the spine and spinal cord can have serious consequences for the whole body. Various injuries of the spinal column make up more than 10% of all back injuries. They are common in mature people, regardless of gender. Sometimes back problems also occur in children, but, as a rule, similar injuries are characteristic of the cervical spine and belong to the category of birth injuries. In women, spinal injuries have recently become much less common due to the fact that the number of women in childbirth who gave birth by Caesarean section has significantly increased.
Causes
Damage to the spinal cord is an extremely serious type of disruption of the musculoskeletal system. Most often, spinal injuries occur due to excessively strong loads and impacts on it. This can be a fall from a height, careless diving to a depth, a collapse of weights on a person, accidents and other automobile and road accidents. Sometimes the type of injury can be determined by the nature of the physical impact on the spinal column. For example, in car accidents, damage to the cervical spine is most common , and when falling from a height, fractures of the sacral or lower thoracic regions more often occur.
Problems with the spinal cord are of a different nature. In adults, as a rule, spinal injuries occur due to external force acting on various parts of the back. Age-related injuries, such as cartilage wear, can lead to narrowing of the spinal canal and the development of stenosis. This leads to pressure on the spinal cord and spinal nerves and, as a consequence, a violation of their functionality. Injuries to children are more likely to occur due to too much or too much sprain of the spinal cord.
Types of spinal injuries
Signs of spinal injury depend on its type and nature. Types of all possible injuries are divided into bruises, tears, fractures, dislocations and squeezing. They directly affect the method of recovery and treatment, as well as the consequences of the disease and the speed of recovery of the patient.
- A fracture of the cervical spine is a violation of the integrity of the bones, in contrast to a dislocation, which is characterized by improper alignment of the vertebrae along its axis. These injuries can damage the spinal cord. Compression fracture occurs due to the strong compression of the vertebral body in certain parts of the spine, in which part of it moves forward and down. In this case, the intervertebral discs can be displaced and protrude into the spinal canal. Injury is most common during car accidents or a sharp push of the body forward.
- When a dislocation occurs, rupture of the ligaments or their strong stretching. Such damage can "lock" the vertebrae on top of each other on one or both sides of the spinal column. Problems with the spinal cord may occur depending on how mobile the torn ligaments are. To restore the functionality of the vertebrae, the patient may need surgery.
- Paraplegia occurs due to damage to the lower thoracic spine through contusion.
- Quadriplegia also occurs due to a bruise in which the upper thoracic and cervical vertebrae are exposed . Such spinal injuries lead to loss of mobility in all limbs.
Injuries to the cervical spine: features
The cervical spine is very prone to damage and injury. About 20% of all injuries of the spinal column occur in this area, more than 35% of them are fatal. Damage to the cervical spine occurs due to the fact that during a sharp blow the head and torso of a person move in opposite directions.
Cervical injuries are very serious and dangerous. Of all the known types of such injuries characteristic of this part of the spinal column, the most common is a fracture of the cervical spine, or “whiplash” injury. As a rule, it occurs in drivers or passengers who have had a car accident. During the sudden braking of the vehicle, a sharp inertia shock is transmitted to all people in the cab. Injury to the cervical spine is characterized by sharp acute pain, limitation of motor function of the neck, dizziness, loss of consciousness.
Damage to the spine in the chest and lower back
Quite often, various types of thoracic spine and lumbar are injured. The most common include fractures that occur when falling from a height or a car accident. In addition, older people are also at risk of damage to these departments due to the development of age-related osteoporosis. Damage to the spinal cord can be caused due to a severe degree of fracture of the spine.
When the thoracic spine is damaged, a person experiences moderate to severe back pain, which is aggravated by movement. If the spinal cord is affected, numbness of the extremities, their tingling, weakness and inability to control the work of the bladder and intestines are added to the symptoms. The most common injuries of the thoracic and lumbar spine are as follows:
- Intervertebral joint stretching of the joints of the vertebrae. It occurs when the vertebrae are forced to move forward or backward. The intensification of pain increases with direct or reverse movement of the spine.
- Muscle rupture is a common back injury for many sports, when muscle movements and the spine itself can be injured with sudden movements. Photos of such injuries obtained with the help of a tomograph can determine the degree of their severity. Symptoms of the disease include acute pain when bending, bending the body back and forth and rotating.
- Dislocations of the costal vertebral joints that arise either as a result of forced displacement of the vertebrae in the thoracic region, or as a result of inflammation from arthritis. In this case, the pain intensifies during coughing, sneezing, deep chest breathing.
- Fractures are very common in contact sports, in the event of a fall or accident. The pain persists for a rather long time and appears even with a slight turn of the body.
- Scoliosis, or curvature of the spine, is also a serious injury. Symptoms of the disease do not always occur and can often vary depending on each specific case.
Birth damage to the spine
Back problems in children are most often characterized as birth injuries of the cervical spine. One of the defects is infant cleft of the spine, in which the vertebrae do not completely cover the raw nerves. Often a similar defect occurs in the lumbosacral, but there are exceptions. Damage to the cervical spine during childbirth occurs in 40% of cases and is often accompanied by birth traumatic brain injury. The reason for this is the following situations:
- a mismatch between the size of the fetal head and the maternal pelvis;
- improper presentation of the fetus in the uterine cavity;
- large fruit (weighing more than 4500 g);
- preterm pregnancy;
- oligohydramnios (oligohydramnios) and other congenital pathologies.
Despite the seriousness of the damage, childbirth cleft of the spine in children, as a rule, has favorable prognoses when it is localized in the lumbosacral region. During the period of active growth, the child does not experience unpleasant sensations in the back, but for this, parents must monitor his nutrition and weight. An increase in body weight will cause pressure on the undeformed vertebrae, which will aggravate the disease. With an injury to the cervical spine there are a number of troubles. Such children often have problems with academic performance, suffer from a memory disorder, it is difficult for them to concentrate their attention on the subject. Sometimes a cleft can cause paralysis, leg weakness, abnormal eye movements, orthopedic problems, and more.
Spinal cord injuries
Sometimes with spinal injury, the damage extends to the spinal cord. This can occur due to external influences such as severe bruising, squeezing or fracture of the cervical spine, although damage can occur anywhere on the spinal column.
The following symptoms usually indicate a spinal cord injury:
- numbness or tingling in the limbs;
- pain and stiffness in the area of spinal damage;
- signs of shock;
- the inability to move limbs;
- loss of urination control;
- loss of consciousness;
- unnatural head positioning.
Spinal cord problems are often the result of unpredictable accidents or violence. The causes of injuries are usually:
- a fall;
- diving in shallow water (comes from hitting the bottom);
- injuries after a car accident;
- falling from height;
- TBI during sporting events;
- injury from electric shock.
First aid for spinal injuries
The consequences of spinal injuries can be quite serious, so it is very important to be able to provide first aid to the victim in a timely and correct manner. Any damage to the spinal column is considered complex, dangerous and requires immediate hospitalization. First aid for spinal injury depends on the nature and degree of damage due to its long extent, structural complexity and functional significance. The consequences for the body after an acute injury are directly dependent on how skillfully a person who provides first aid in a difficult situation will behave.
Measures to assist the victim after a spinal injury include:
- immediate ambulance call;
- providing the victim with a solid, flat surface;
- ensuring complete immobility to the victim, even if he believes that he can move independently;
- artificial respiration provided that it is absent. In this case, you can not throw back the victim’s head, but it’s better to try to push his lower jaw forward.
Diagnostics
When the victim is taken to the hospital, doctors will examine him and conduct a complete neurological examination to determine the nature and location of the injury. The most popular diagnostic methods include x-ray of the spine.
If the spine is damaged, an X-ray photo will show the location of the injury and help determine its nature. If necessary, a more detailed examination, as well as to identify injuries of the spinal cord, use magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography and a series of tests to determine the transmission rate of nerve signals to the brain.
Treatment of spinal injuries
Unfortunately, there is no way to reverse the damage to the spinal cord. However, there are progressive treatments that contribute to the regeneration of nerve cells, improve nerve function and restore the body.
If spinal injury occurs, treatment focuses on preventing further progression of the disease and expanding the victim's capabilities. He is taken to the intensive care unit, where the patient will be offered medications, surgical or experimental treatment by prescribing physiotherapy. Medicines are used to treat acute forms of damage to the spinal cord and spine. To stabilize the spinal column and bring it into the correct position, you will need a special traction. In some cases, the patient's neck is fixed with a hard collar. A special bed can also help immobilize the body.
In cases of severe spinal damage, surgery may be required to remove fragments of crushed bones and other foreign objects. In addition, surgical care is necessary for herniated discs or for possible compression of individual vertebrae. These measures are important for stabilizing the spinal axis in order to prevent pain and deformities.
The goal of physiotherapy for patients with spinal and spinal cord injuries is to optimize the quality of life by increasing physical capabilities. The program of physiotherapy measures is designed to increase the capabilities of each patient in order to achieve the optimal level of functioning of the spine. It includes the following principles:
- Assessment of major violations and their severity.
- Restriction of the victim.
- Development of physiological measures and control over the implementation of procedures.
Physiotherapy intervention is the most effective method in managing disorders associated with physical disabilities, loss of motor skills and sensory skills.
When the condition of the victim is stabilized, he will need a rehabilitation course, the purpose of which is to maintain and strengthen existing muscle functions, fine motor skills and motor skills training. Rehabilitation measures can prevent possible complications after an injury and improve the quality of life.
Prevention
Unfortunately, injuries to the spine and spinal cord are unpredictable, but anyone can prevent unhappiness if simple safety precautions are followed.
- Always fasten your seatbelts when driving in a car.
- Wear sports equipment when playing sports.
- Do not dive in places with a poorly understood bottom.
- Strengthen the muscle corset to ensure proper support for the spine.
- Do not drink alcohol while driving.