Need help right now?
If someone needs immediate help with spinal injury, use emergency mode.
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DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — After a fall, crash, dive, or blow, the person has neck or back pain, tingling, weakness, or cannot feel or move parts of the body.
The essentials if you need to act right now.
Call 112. Do not move them. Keep head still. Only move if fire or traffic danger.
What might I see? Observable signs — no diagnosis required.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Neck or back pain after a fall, dive, vehicle crash, or heavy blow.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Tingling, numbness, or weakness in arms, legs, or groin area.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Cannot move fingers or toes when asked, or loss of bladder or bowel control after injury.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Head or neck in an odd angle, or person found unconscious after major trauma.
Optional deeper explanation — not required to act.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — The spinal cord carries signals between the brain and body. A broken vertebra can cut or compress these signals.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Some spinal injuries have no obvious wound. Pain, numbness, or weakness after trauma still counts.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Moving an injured spine can turn a recoverable injury into permanent paralysis.
Check the scene before you approach.
DO NOT MOVE THE PERSON. Any twist or bend of the neck can permanently damage the spinal cord.
Civilian-safe actions you can take.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Shout: "Do not move! Help is coming!"
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Call 112 or 108 — say suspected spinal injury, do not move patient.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Stop others from pulling the person up or dragging them by the arms.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Keep the person flat. Hold the head gently so it stays in line with the body — do not pull or push.
When and how to get professional help.
Any suspected spine injury after trauma needs emergency immobilization and transport by professionals.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Your only job is to prevent movement and call for help. Do not straighten limbs, remove helmets, or sit them up.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Call 112 or 108. Say: "Suspected spinal injury. Person must not be moved. Send ambulance with spine board."
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Describe what happened — fall height, diving, vehicle crash, or sports tackle.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Report whether they can move or feel their hands and feet.
Dangerous actions, when not to attempt rescue, and common myths.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — DO NOT MOVE THE PERSON — this is the most important rule.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT sit them up, bend their neck, or twist their back to check injuries.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT pull them by the arms, legs, or clothing across the ground.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT give food or drink — surgery may be needed.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If they can wiggle their toes, the spine is fine
Other scenarios in the same family.
Severe head injury
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person hit their head hard — from a fall, crash, blow, or object — and is confused, vomiting, bleeding, or not responding normally.
Concussion
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person bumped or hit their head and now has headache, dizziness, confusion, nausea, or just does not feel right — but they are awake and talking.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Leave a helmet in place unless breathing requires removal and you are trained to do so.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Keep them warm with a blanket without shifting their position.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If they must be moved for fire or traffic, log-roll the whole body as one unit with several helpers.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Every suspected spinal cord injury needs emergency professional immobilization and hospital care.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Partial cord injury can still worsen with movement. Any trauma with symptoms needs full evaluation.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Moving someone because toes move, causing permanent damage.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — You should quickly move them off the road without support
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Only move if staying put is more dangerous than the move. Move the whole body as one unit.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Permanent paralysis from a quick drag off the road.