The spine is the basis of the musculoskeletal system, the "core" of the human skeleton. Damage to it can lead to serious consequences, even death. Therefore, any damage requires immediate medical attention.
The spine consists of 4 departments: sacral, lumbar, thoracic, cervical. The upper sections are composed of more fragile vertebrae than the lower, so their damage is more dangerous. Each of the vertebrae consists of a body, an arch, one spinous, four articular and two transverse processes. There are injuries as one of these components, as well as complex, numerous fractures.
The most common causes of skeleton support injury are falls from a height, car accidents, unsuccessful diving. Often a spinal fracture occurs in older people, and such a serious injury appears in such seemingly insignificant cases as weight lifting, an unsuccessful fall on a slippery surface. This is explained by the fact that with age, the bones become more fragile and brittle. Prevention of such accidents is taking a complex of vitamins that enrich bones with calcium.
Fracture of the spine: types
Most often, compression injuries are associated with a decrease in the height (“flattening”) of one or more vertebrae.
The most dangerous are comminuted or explosive fractures: fragments of the vertebral body, its processes or arches can damage soft tissues (ligaments, muscles, nerve roots, intervertebral discs, brain back). It is such injuries that lead to paralysis, paresis and death.
Spinal Fracture: Symptoms
With severe injuries, a sharp pain occurs, from which loss of consciousness occurs. With damage to the nerve processes and spinal cord , a violation of sensitivity and the absence of motor functions below the level of damage (paralysis, paresis) are observed. Accordingly, control over the work of the pelvic organs is lost. Damage to the cervical and thoracic regions may result in respiratory loss.
There are cases when a fracture of the spine is not detected due to certain reasons. In this case, the person may not be aware of the injury. Symptoms of undiagnosed damage can be constant or periodically occurring pain at the site of injury, a decrease in the growth of the victim, curvature of the spinal column, numbness of the extremities, impaired bowel and genitourinary system.
First aid
A person who has been seriously injured should not be disturbed before the arrival of medical personnel. However, in some cases, for example, if a fracture of the spine occurs due to an unsuccessful jump to the input, first aid is simply necessary. The victim should be taken out of the water together or three. This is necessary to keep the body as stationary as possible. Before the doctors arrive, the injured person should be placed on a hard surface (preferably on a stretcher or improvised shield).
It is strictly forbidden to pull the victim by the legs or arms, and plant him. Do not try to repair the damage yourself.
Spine Fracture: Treatment
The main treatment is rest and a horizontal position. Surgical treatment may be necessary depending on the complexity of the injury. During the operation, compression is eliminated and fixation of the damaged vertebrae takes place.
Conservative treatment includes compliance with bed rest, it may be necessary to impose a cast or wear special fixing corsets.
After consolidation of the fracture , a rehabilitation course may be required, the basis of which is physiotherapy exercises, a set of physiotherapy procedures and massage.