Spinal trauma
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A spinal trauma is an injury to the bony spine , in a broader sense also to the adjacent soft tissues (muscles, tendons, nerves) and is localized in the area of the cervical spine , thoracic spine or lumbar spine .
causes
Spinal injuries are mostly caused by accidents with strong violence. This can be a strong overstretching or tension, compression and point-wise acting force and z. B. caused by car accidents, sports accidents or falls from a great height.
The three primary types of injury are compression , distraction, or rotation .
Possible symptoms
- Pain
- swelling
- Neurological disorders
- Restriction or inability to move
- Impaired consciousness
- Involuntary leakage of urine or stool
- erection
- Drop in blood pressure
Due to the close topographical relationship between the bony spine and the spinal cord or the exiting spinal nerves, a spinal trauma always suggests simultaneous nerve damage with the associated neurological failures. If nerves are injured, paresis or sensitivity disorders can also occur.
The main danger of a spinal trauma lies in the damage to the spinal cord by crushing, bleeding or severing with the development of paraplegia . Secondary damage to the spinal cord is possible through hypotension , ischemia, or the formation of edema .
In children, trauma to the cervical spine is rare, since segments C1–3 or C7 / Th1 are more likely to be affected due to the relative weight of the head.
