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How would you know if the person has spinal injury during an accident/emergency?

usually those who give first aid would provide neck collars and a stretcher to get the person out of danger. What if you're the only person available to help him and he's loosing blood. Would it be wiser to drag him in the car even though spinal injury may be present?

Public Comments

1. That's a really hard decision to make. If it was me and I had to just absolutely move them,I would. It's better to be paralyzed then dead.

2. As you have eluded, it is absolutely vital that the person has a neck brace applied before moving and then is moved carefully and ideally put on a board. However, this all changes when you are alone. If you can summon help, you should attempt to stem the flow of blood and wait for help. If he is in immediate danger, ie: petrol puring out of a car onto a hot engine and he could be pulled free, then most people would not blame you for pulling that person free...

In the majority of instances, it is wiser to summon help and stem the flow of blood. It isn't just about saving his life, but saving the quality of life too.

3. Tough question....We tell people to not move the person if there is a chance of spinal injury unless the injured person is in immediate danger. If you are worried about bleeding, the best way to control it is with direct pressure. Without x-rays, it's very difficult to know if someone has a spinal injury. However, in men, if they have a serious spinal injury they can get whats called priapism, an erection that won't go away. That's a good sign of a spinal injury in a male.