Neck Injury Prevention

Injuries to the cervical area (neck) can cause injuries that can be fatal and permanent disability in patients. The cervical covers 7 vertebral bone segments and plays a role in the protection of the spinal cord. Cervical injury generally occurs in men compared to women with the highest prevalence in the age group of 15 years to 30 years and ≥ 65 years. The area of ​​injury to the spine generally occurs in areas C2, C5-7. Non-traumatic causes are caused by compression fractures due to osteoporosis, arthritis, or cancer and inflammation of the spinal nerves. Neck injury is a condition with a serious and significant impact. Injury to the neck can damage the spinal nerves. This is a very serious physical trauma that tends to have a lasting and significant impact on most aspects of daily life. The spinal cord is a collection of nerves and is protected around it by overlapping vertebrae.

The most common causes of spinal cord injuries include, motor vehicle accidents; falling from a height; sports and recreation injuries; alcohol consumption; and the presence of concomitant diseases such as cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis and inflammation of the spinal cord. The spinal cord extends from the base of the brain to the back and ends close to the buttocks. Anyone, who experiences significant head or neck trauma requires immediate medical evaluation for possible injury to the spine. It's best to always assume that trauma victims have neck injuries until proven otherwise because serious neck injuries are not always obvious at first. In addition, if not recognized early on, more severe injuries can occur such as numbness or paralysis that can occur immediately or appear gradually due to bleeding or swelling occurring in or around the spinal cord. Another reason is the time between injury and treatment can be very important in determining the level and severity of complications and the possibility of an expected recovery rate. Any neck injury can cause one or more of the following signs and symptoms, namely loss of movement in the hands and feet; loss or change of ability to feel heat, cold, and touch; loss of control of bowel or bladder movements; changes in sexual function; the emergence of pain or stinging sensation caused by damage to nerve fibers in your spine; difficulty breathing, coughing or expelling secrets from your lungs.

This neck injury is a preventable condition. Efforts to prevent neck injuries include: driving carefully because car accidents are one of the most common causes of neck injuries; wear a seat belt every time you drive or drive a car; make sure your children wear seat belts or use child seats that are appropriate for their age and weight; to protect them from airbag injuries, children under the age of 12 must always be in the back seat; if you want to jump into the waters, check the depth of the water before diving to make sure you don't dive into shallow waters and don't dive into the pool unless the depth is more than 3.7 meters; use a ladder with a handle to reach objects in high places; put non-slip mat on the tile floor and in the bathtub or shower; for small children, use safety gates to block the stairs and consider installing window guards; always wear the recommended safety equipment in sports; Do not drive while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.

If you find a person with a suspected neck injury, all you can do is not move the injured person because permanent paralysis and other serious complications can occur; call an ambulance or local emergency medical assistance number; leave the person in a stationary position; put thick towels on both sides of the neck or hold the head and neck to prevent it from moving until the medical officer arrives; provide first aid such as stopping the bleeding and making the person comfortable, without moving the head or neck.