Spinal injury (spinal trauma)

Spinal injuries are also called in medical terminology Spinal trauma designated. Ligaments, nerves, spinal cord, intervertebral discs and muscles can be affected.

What is a spine injury?

A distinction is made in one Injury to the spine the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine. The most common form of spinal trauma is a distortion, i.e. a twisting of the spine, in which neither the bones nor the spinal cord are affected.

Spinal trauma usually arises as a result of an accident and can lead to sprains, contusions or even fractures of the vertebral bones. Usually these vertebral bones are quite stable - however, in traffic accidents where a lot of pressure is applied, they can be easily injured.

People with osteoporosis are particularly at risk because their bones are already unstable.

Spinal trauma goes well in most cases, with an injury to the spinal cord only in 15 to 20 percent of cases. In the worst case, this in turn can lead to paralysis.

causes

The main cause of a Spinal trauma are injuries during sports or car accidents. Both of them put a lot of pressure on the spine, which can lead to spinal trauma.

Most car accidents are so-called whiplash injuries to the cervical spine, which only cause pain hours after the accident. Sudden overstretching or tension of the spine can also lead to spinal trauma.

Symptoms, ailments & signs

If there is an existing spinal injury, there are usually very clear symptoms and signs that can indicate this. Of course, the pain is clearly in the foreground with such an injury. The affected person will feel severe pain immediately after the injury, which can persist even when at rest.

Other symptoms, of course, depend on the severity of the existing spine injury. In particularly severe cases, swelling can of course also be seen on the spine. If you forego a visit to the doctor at this point, you run a very high risk. The pain will increase considerably, so that in particularly bad cases it can even lead to permanent consequential damage.

Often there is also severe swelling in this context if there is a fracture of the spine. Of course, in such a case, a doctor should be consulted immediately to eliminate any symptoms. All injuries to the spine should always be assessed by a doctor. In the case of an existing injury of this type, the entire sequence of movements is severely restricted, so that appropriate treatment is mandatory. Otherwise the pain will worsen and permanent consequential damage can occur that cannot be treated effectively afterwards.

Diagnosis & course

At a Spinal trauma back pain occurs primarily, of course. These usually arise very suddenly immediately after the accident. An appropriate diagnosis must now be made and it must be determined whether it is just a twisting of the spine or a vertebral fracture. The latter can usually be clearly felt.

If the spinal cord has not been affected, patients can usually move painlessly again after a few days. However, if the spinal cord has been damaged, healing takes weeks or even months. A small number of patients can no longer move at all and remain paraplegic.

Complications

A spinal injury can cause a number of symptoms and complications, depending on the extent of the injury. It can lead to harmless injuries to the muscles, but serious vertebral body fractures can also occur. If the vertebral bodies fracture, fragments of the bones can shift and injure the nerve roots and spinal cord.

Serious spinal injuries usually also cause movement disorders and other neurological symptoms. This can lead to sensory disturbances such as numbness, tingling or paralysis in the arms and legs. If the spinal cord is severed, spinal injury can result in circulatory failure, loss of control of the bladder and bowel movements, and other complications.

If the injured person is improperly transported, the injury may worsen. During the surgical treatment, there is a risk that the spinal cord or nerve cords in the back area will be injured. Inflammation can also occur.

Poor wound healing can lead to the formation of aesthetically unsightly scars. This can result in permanent sensitivity disorders. There is also the risk that the injured vertebral body will loosen again and will have to be straightened in another surgical procedure.

When should you go to the doctor?

A doctor should be alerted if pain or health irregularities develop in the spine area after an accident, fall or violence. In particularly acute cases, an ambulance service should be contacted. Until their arrival, those present should provide first aid measures to stabilize the health of the person concerned. Action is required in the case of paralysis, restricted mobility and pressure sensitivity.

If the usual movement sequences can no longer be carried out free of symptoms or if all movements are delayed, medical examinations must be carried out. Pain, changes in the appearance of the skin and a sudden decrease in physical fitness are worrying. A doctor is required so that the causal disorder can be clarified. A doctor's visit is necessary as soon as possible, especially in the case of spinal problems, so that long-term damage or secondary diseases are avoided as far as possible.

Often, damage in the area can no longer be completely corrected in the long term. Therefore, even with slight irregularities in the back, a doctor should be consulted for a check-up. In this way, possible risks are assessed and assessed. If the affected person can no longer move areas of his body and if sudden incontinence occurs, an emergency situation exists. In these cases, immediate action must be taken and an emergency doctor must be informed.

Treatment & Therapy

There one Spinal injury is usually caused by an accident, appropriate initial treatment at the scene of the accident is necessary. Especially if the patient has sensory disturbances or even symptoms of paralysis, he should not be allowed to stand up. In this case, the spinal cord could be injured - one wrong movement can trigger a complete transection of the spinal cord.

Suitable transport is also decisive for the course of the disease and for the further chances of recovery. The type of spinal trauma then of course decides on the subsequent treatment or therapy. In mild cases, i.e. if no vertebrae or spinal cord is injured, what is known as conservative therapy is usually sufficient.

This usually consists of heat or cold applications, or the immobilization of the spine. If a vertebral bone is broken, it is surgically straightened again. If this does not happen, individual vertebrae could get into the spinal cord and sever it. Medical nails and screws are used to fix and stabilize the vertebrae as best as possible. If the spinal cord was completely severed in the accident, surgery usually cannot help and the patient remains paraplegic.

After treatment of a spinal trauma, extensive rehabilitation usually takes place. This aims to relax the back and its muscles. Massages and back training are the optimal therapeutic measures here.

X-rays and computed tomography also provide information about what type of injury it is and how it can best be treated.

prevention

One can prevent one Spinal trauma hardly, as this is usually the result of an accident. Therefore, caution should be exercised in appropriate sports. Climbing or paragliding are the sports in which injuries to the spine are particularly common. So-called spine protectors are also commercially available, which are intended to protect motorcyclists in an accident, for example.

The structure of the spine is very complex and therefore a particularly sensitive part of the skeleton. Injury to the vertebrae can lead to permanent damage, thereby limiting the mobility of the affected bones. There is a risk of vertebral stiffening. If the spinal cord is also injured, this leads to symptoms of paralysis or neurological failures. Follow-up care for a spinal trauma is essential to prevent permanent damage or to keep the damage as low as possible.

Aftercare

The injuries range from comparatively minor to irreversible. Follow-up care depends on the severity of the spinal trauma. Especially after an operation on the spine, a doctor must consistently monitor the patient's condition over a longer period of time. In most cases, spinal injuries require a stay of several weeks in rehab.

However, complete healing after a spinal trauma is hardly possible despite medical treatment. If injured vertebrae have been surgically stiffened, the sick person learns how to deal with the new situation in everyday life during follow-up care. The consequences of a spinal injury are particularly stressful for those affected at the beginning of their medical history. Simultaneous psychological care can have a positive effect on his mental state.

You can do that yourself

A spinal injury should first be clarified by a doctor. The most important self-help measure is protection. Spinal trauma indicates a serious injury that should not be aggravated by exercise. Affected individuals should reduce physical activity until the cause of the trauma has been identified. If in doubt, the doctor can recommend appropriate treatment.

Massages and measures from Chinese medicine or yoga can also help. The treating physician decides how a spinal trauma has to be treated in detail. If necessary, other specialists such as the physiotherapist or a sports doctor must be consulted. A spinal injury requires good cooling. For example, ice packs or quark compresses can be used to relieve the pain. Gentle relaxation exercises also contribute to a quick recovery.

In consultation with the doctor, natural painkillers can also be tested. Naturopathy offers, for example, marigold ointment or preparations with St. John's wort, which relieve pain in a natural way. Diet does not necessarily have to be changed in the event of a spinal injury. However, a healthy and balanced diet should be observed so that the body can recover quickly.