Each year across the United States, many accidents involving spinal injury occur. It is very important that a possible injury to the spine be diagnosed quickly and effectively in order to care for and protect an accident victim.

Knowing the proper form of first aid to administer in the case of emergency to a person suspected of a spinal injury is a must, as mishandling of the accident victim could result in further damage to the spinal cord.

Here are a few helpful guidelines to assist you if you suspect someone may have a spinal injury due to a fall or accident...

First and foremost, should you suspect an individual might be suffering from a spinal injury, never move them, even if they are in the water. If the victim is conscious, be sure to tell them not to move. Then call 911 for emergency medical assistance.

Emergency medical personnel will have the proper training and equipment to care for the victim. Individuals suspected of spinal injury will require a cervical collar and need to be stabilized on a spine board. Remember that it is better to do nothing than to improperly handle a victim suspected of spinal injury.

While waiting for emergency medical personnel to arrive, there are a number of things you can do to care for the victim using your senses to collect important information to relay to the medical professionals upon arrival.

If you are CPR certified, monitor the victim's vital signs using the A, B, C, and D first aid method.

* A) Make sure the victim's AIRWAY is open.

* B) Monitor their BREATHING.

* C) Check the victim's CIRULATION by monitoring their pulse rate, checking for severe bleeding, and checking the individual's skin color, temperature and moisture.

* D) Check for DISABILITY. Their mental status and spinal cord response as described below.

Even if you are not CPR trained, you can use your sense of sight to gather important medical data. Head injuries serve as a clue in diagnosis since the head may have been snapped suddenly in one direction or the other causing spinal injury.

Paralysis in the victim's arms or legs is a definite symptom of spinal injury. Should the accident victim complain of pain when moving their arms or legs or the experience of tingling, numbness, weakness or a burning sensation in these extremities, possible spinal injury should be assumed.

Another sign that the victim may have received injury to the spine, would be the individual's loss of bladder or bowel control.

A deformity in the victim's head or neck is also an indication of spinal injury. If the victim's head and neck appear to be abnormal or resting at an odd-looking angle, damage to the spine should be suspected.

Using your sense of touch to indicate mobility and response in the victim can also assist emergency medical personnel. So, continue to take note of your findings. When checking for a spine injury of a conscious victim, you will need to assess their upper and lower extremity abilities. First, ask the victim if they can wiggle their fingers. Second, to indicate if the nerve pathways are intact, gently pinch the palm or back of the hand to test their ability to feel. Third, ask the victim to squeeze your hand to test their ability to respond. A strong grip is usually a sign that spinal injury has not occurred.

Repeat this response check on the individual’s lower extremities by asking them to wiggle their toes. Then proceed by gently pinching the tops of their feet or soles to find out if they can feel your touch. Finally, ask the injured party to push their foot against your hand to test their mobility performance. Inability to perform this procedure or a weak effort on the part of the victim could indicate a spinal injury.

Should the individual fail to perform any of these actions, it could very well mean they have suffered a spinal injury.

Asking the injured party specific questions and using your sense of hearing is essential. Their answers may help to diagnose a spinal injury. Should the victim complain of having pain, ask them where the pain is located. Neck injuries to the cervical spine radiate pain to the arms, while upper-back injuries to the thoracic spine radiate pain around the ribs. In the case of a lower-back injury, the pain has a tendency to radiate down the legs and is quite often described by the victim as having an “electric” feeling.

If the injured person is unconscious, once again use all your senses to assess the situation. Look for cuts, bruises and deformities. Use the response method of pinching the palm or back of hand and top of foot or sole to test for response. Again, no reaction could indeed indicate an injury to the spine. Gather additional data for emergency medical personnel by asking bystanders the circumstances surrounding the accident.

As an extra added precaution to prevent a person you suspect may have suffered injury to the spine, you may stabilize them against any movement by grasping the victim’s head, placing your palms over the ears, holding the head and neck still until emergency help arrives. Should you become tired of this method due to a long wait for medical assistance to arrive, you may use another method. You can kneel with the person’s head between your knees or place a sturdy object, such as a box, on each side of the victim’s head. This will also prevent the injured person’s head from rolling from side to side causing further damage.

In any and all cases, if you are uncertain if the victim has suffered an injury to the spine, assume they have until it is proven otherwise. Continue to care for the person using the proper techniques of administering first aid until arrival of emergency medical services.