| Spinal cord and neck injuries are very serious, because they can cause whole-body or partial paralysis. Some common causes of such injuries are car accidents; sports-related injury; and direct trauma to the head, neck, face or back. There are approximately 250,000 people living with spinal cord injury in the United States today (July 2005) with another 11,000 occurrences predicted each year, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center.
Symptoms
Symptoms of spinal cord injury may include the following.
- Stiff neck
- Head held in unusual position
- Weakness
- Difficulty walking
- Shock (with pale, clammy skin; bluish lip and fingernails; and decreased consciousness)
- Paralysis of extremities
- Headache, neck pain, abdominal pain, or back pain
- Numbness or tingling that radiates down an arm or leg
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Unconsciousness
If someone is injured, do not move the person and call emergency medical services immediately. |
