Back injury during deadlift. Spinal injury

The back is often prone to various injuries, especially the lumbar. After all, it is on the lower back that most of the load falls. Although the vertebrae in this region are thicker and the muscles stronger and stronger, sprains and bruises often occur, leading to temporary loss of mobility and pain. In any case, even the slightest bruise of the lumbar spine can cause inconvenience, so you need to know how to properly classify the bruise and how to treat it.

A bruise is a closed injury to organs and tissues (skin, muscles) that does not entail anatomical disorders. It usually occurs due to a direct blunt blow. In the case of a lumbar bruise, it can be either a fall or a blow from a large object. Typically, such an injury occurs in people involved in sports, working in the workplace. Bruises of the lower back are also quite common in winter - during black ice. At this time, you need to be especially careful walking the streets. Bruising of the lower back occurs quite often in victims of road accidents, along with bruising of the upper spine. A bruise can also occur when falling from a height onto your legs or back.

Back injuries are classified according to severity:

Easy. Only soft tissues are damaged, a bruise may appear. There are no neurological disorders. Legs move easily, no numbness.
Average. Loss of sensitivity in certain areas of the lumbar region, as the conduction of the spinal cord is disturbed, respectively, those departments that are innervated by its injured part suffer.
Heavy. Complete loss of conduction below the injured area of the lower back. Sometimes neurological disorders do not recover.

Trauma symptoms

After a bruise, spinal shock begins to develop. Its severity may vary depending on the strength of the blow. If the shock is not pronounced, then for some time only slight numbness below the waist can be observed, which soon disappears. If everything is more serious, then the bruise can lead to damage to the organs of the abdominal cavity and pelvis, impaired defecation and urination, and even lead to paralysis of the lower body.

A general examination of the injured person should include an assessment of the following parameters (symptoms are listed in order of increasing severity):

The appearance of pain when probing the site of injury.
A hematoma begins to appear, growing over time.
The injured person feels pain when turning the body, cannot bend.
There are swelling in the ankles, blood circulation is disturbed, and weakness appears in the lower part of the body.
Paralysis of the muscles of the bladder may occur, in which case urination will either be difficult, or vice versa - uncontrollable. Also, acute pain occurs when walking and sexual intercourse. These symptoms are characteristic of damage to the coccyx.
The occurrence of paralysis and paresis of the lower extremities. In this case, the localization of paralysis may be different depending on the location of the bruise of the lower back:
With a lumbar injury, the victim will not be able to bend and straighten the leg at the knee, or will do it with great difficulty.
Bruising of the sacrum and coccyx can lead to immobilization of the foot.
With an injury to the transverse processes of the vertebrae, paralysis of both limbs is possible.

Diagnostics

The doctor often faces a difficult task: it is necessary to accurately determine the location of the bruise and determine whether the spine itself, internal organs and important arteries are damaged in order to provide the patient with effective treatment.

The stages of diagnosing a lumbar injury are as follows:

Collection of anamnesis (information received from the patient): condition at the time of injury and current, time and place of injury, causes, etc.
Examination for the presence and size of hematomas, any bone deformities, edema.
Conducting functional tests for reflexes and sensitivity. Also, the doctor probes the site of damage.

This is how the initial diagnosis is established. The doctor may prescribe medications and ointments to relieve swelling and bruising and to mitigate pain. He gives the patient directions for more detailed examinations to determine the exact diagnosis and further treatment.

Patient giving blood and urine tests.
Radiography of the lumbar spine. So doctors can determine the condition of the bones and the likelihood of shifting of the vertebrae. An x-ray of the sacral section in two projections may also be required.
Computed tomography can replace x-rays or supplement them. Needed to evaluate bone structures.
Magnetic resonance imaging allows you to determine the condition of the soft tissues of the lower back and blood vessels. Necessary for suspected injuries of the spine and spinal cord.
Rarely, a lumbar puncture is indicated. This measure is used for spinal cord injury. Determines the presence of blood in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Bruises of all parts of the back, not only the lower back, are very serious, and their treatment must be approached comprehensively. Treatment and diagnosis of lumbar injuries is within the competence of the following doctors:

Neurologist (neurologist)
Surgeon (neurosurgeon)
Orthopedist.

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Treatment

After identifying the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes conservative or surgical treatment.

A contusion of the lumbosacral spine requires different treatment depending on the severity of the injury. So, light bruises are treated at home by the patient himself. The essence of this treatment is to relieve pain from the soft tissues of the lower back. As a rule, anti-inflammatory gels and ointments are prescribed (Diclofenac, Ketorol, Nise). Also, the patient should limit himself in physical activity in order to minimize the load on the muscles of the lower back and the lumbar spine: less walking and bending over, not lifting weights, and eliminating sharp turns of the body.

For more severe injuries, the patient is usually admitted to the hospital. Together with painkillers, hormonal drugs are also prescribed to relieve swelling and inflammation. The fact is that hormonal drugs are stronger, which means that the patient will recover faster.

When drug treatment comes to an end, the patient is prescribed a course of rehabilitation, including exercise therapy and physiotherapy (magnetotherapy, electrophoresis, laser therapy). A gentle massage of the lower back is also prescribed.

Spinal injuries are one of the most severe types of injuries. Recently, the prevalence and severity of injuries of the spinal column has been growing, which is associated with an increase in the amount of transport, traffic speed, the spread of high-rise construction and other factors of the modern way and rhythm of life.

Patients with spinal injuries account for 18% of all patients in trauma hospitals. They are mostly young people (average age is 17-35 years). Therefore, the treatment of spinal injuries is a responsible not only medical and social, but also an economic problem, because the risk of developing permanent disability after spinal injury is very high.

The risk of disability after a spinal injury is very high

Causes of spinal injuries

Among the causes of damage to the spinal column and the spinal cord, which is inside, should be called:

Road traffic accidents. In such cases, a person can be injured both as a pedestrian and while inside a vehicle. Of particular importance is the whiplash injury, which occurs when the neck is sharply flexed and then the same force is extended with the head tilted back. Such circumstances occur when 2 vehicles collide, when braking hard at high speed. It is for the prevention of this type of damage to the cervical region that there are head restraints in cars.
Falling from height. Such incidents are almost always accompanied by damage to the spinal cord. Especially dangerous is the case when the victim lands on his feet - most of the spinal column is injured.
Diver injury. It develops when a person dives from a height into the water head down. In this case, the victim hits his head against the obstacles in the reservoir and there is a strong flexion or extension in the cervical region with its subsequent traumatization.
Also, the cause of damage to the spine and spinal cord can be knife, gunshot, explosive injuries, when a traumatic factor enters the region of the spine.

The most common mechanisms of spinal injury

Classification of spinal injuries

Trauma of the spine and spinal cord has a clear classification, which directly affects the treatment tactics and prognosis. All injuries can be divided into open (with violation of the integrity of the skin) and closed (without such).
Depending on the nature of damage to the anatomical structures of the spine, there are:

Injuries of the ligamentous apparatus of the spinal column (ruptures and sprains of ligamentous structures). Refers to mild.
Fractures of the vertebral bodies. This includes compression injury, when the vertebral body is compressed and its compression fracture occurs (people with osteoporosis are especially susceptible to this mechanism). Also, fractures of the vertebral bodies can be comminuted, marginal, vertical, horizontal and explosive.
Damage to the intervertebral discs (rupture of the fibrous ring with prolapse of the inner part of the disc, acute Schmorl's hernia).
Fractures of processes (spinous, transverse, articular) and vertebral arches.
Dislocations and subluxations of the vertebrae, fracture-dislocations.
Traumatic spondylolisthesis.

All fractures are divided into 2 groups:

with displacement, when the normal axis of the spine is disturbed and there is a high risk of spinal cord compression;
no offset.

It is also important to divide spinal injuries into stable and unstable ones. Stable fractures occur when only the anterior spine (vertebral bodies) is damaged. At the same time, if at the time of the impact, damage to the spinal cord did not occur due to displacement of the vertebra, then in the future such a risk is minimal.

An unstable fracture occurs when both the anterior and posterior spine (arches and processes) are damaged simultaneously. At the same time, if there was no compression of the spinal cord at the time of the injury, then a high risk of this complication remains in the future, since any movement can lead to such consequences.

Types of spinal cord injuries:

concussion (this is a reversible functional impairment);
bruise or contusion (organic damage to the nervous tissue);
compression, which can be caused by fragments of the vertebrae, damaged disc, hematoma, edema, etc .;
partial and complete rupture - the most severe damage, the consequences of which depend on the level of violation.

Symptoms of spinal injuries

Clinical symptoms of a spinal injury primarily depend on whether the spinal cord is damaged, as well as on the location of the injury, its type and mechanism.

Signs of stable injury

Stable spinal injuries include:

soft tissue bruises;
ligament damage;
stable fractures of the vertebrae (bodies, spinous, transverse processes without displacement).

Typical clinical symptoms:

diffuse soreness at the site of injury;
swelling, bruising, hematomas in the area of damage;
movements may be limited slightly or severely, depending on the degree of pain;
when the spinous processes are fractured, local pain occurs, sometimes you can feel their pathological mobility;
in some cases join;
with fractures of the transverse processes, there is pain in the paravertebral zones;
neurological symptoms are absent, except for cases of secondary sciatica.

Cervical spine injury

Damage to the upper segments of the spinal cord of the cervical spine is life-threatening. The function of the cardiovascular and respiratory center suffers, and this can lead to immediate death. With an injury at the level of 3-4 segments of the spinal cord, the patient has tetraplegia (paralysis of the arms and legs), all types of sensitivity below the injury site are lost. The respiratory muscles and diaphragm also suffer, which is dangerous by stopping breathing.

MRI shows a fracture in the cervical spine and compression of the spinal cord

With compression of the 4-5 segments of the spinal cord, tetraplegia occurs, but without respiratory disorders. With damage to 5-8 segments of the spinal cord, paralysis of various muscles of the hands develops and it is observed that dysfunction of the pelvic organs may be present.

Injury to the thoracic and lumbar spine

Damage to the thoracic spinal cord in spinal injuries is accompanied by weakness in the legs, disruption of the genital and pelvic organs. Paralysis of the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall may occur. Respiratory disturbances may occur due to paralysis of the intercostal muscles.

Damage at the level of the lumbar leads to paralysis of various muscle groups of the lower extremities (foot, lower leg or thigh). Sensitivity below the localization of the injury also suffers, the function of the pelvic organs and the reproductive system is disturbed.

Diagnosis of injuries of the spine and spinal cord consists of questioning the patient, clarifying complaints, the mechanism of injury, examination data of a person, determining the presence of neurological symptoms of spinal cord injury, as well as additional examination methods (X-ray, MRI, CT, myelography, etc.).

Natal injuries

Birth injuries are a whole group of mechanical damage to fetal tissues that occur during childbirth. One of the most serious types of birth trauma is spinal injury. Recently, the number of such injuries has decreased significantly, as the number of deliveries by caesarean section has increased.

Factors that can lead to birth injury of the spine:

obstetric care in childbirth;
the imposition of obstetric forceps;
gluteal and other types of pathological presentation of the fetus;
postmaturity;
big fruit;
rapid or prolonged labor;
deep prematurity;
malformations of the fetus.

Most often, the cervical spine and the adjacent brachial plexus suffer. Symptoms depend on the level of damage. As a rule, such an injury is accompanied by pain (the child is restless, constantly changing his position, checking physiological reflexes is painful). Torticollis, shortened or elongated neck may be observed. If the upper cervical segments of the spinal cord are damaged, one can observe a picture, various respiratory disorders, a frog posture, urinary retention or incontinence.

Obstetric care during childbirth can cause spinal injury

If the brachial plexus is damaged, the child may develop Cofferat syndrome (paresis of the phrenic nerve), Duchenne-Erb palsy, Dejerine-Klumpke, Kerer. All these syndromes have their own distinctive features and consequences.

Injuries in the thoracic region are manifested by respiratory disorders resulting from paresis of the intercostal muscles, as well as lower paraparesis of the legs of a spastic nature, the “spread belly” syndrome.

Injury of the lumbar and sacral regions in infants is accompanied by flaccid paraparesis of the legs, disorders of the pelvic organs.

Recovery after a spinal injury in a newborn is long. In some cases, due to the high plasticity and degree of regeneration in infants, it is possible to completely get rid of the symptoms and consequences of trauma, but in some cases, permanent disability develops throughout the rest of life.

First aid for spinal injury

It should be noted 2 main points of assistance for spinal injury:

reliable and correct fixation of the injured area;
administer anesthesia if possible.

Transportation of the victim with spinal injury

It is necessary to lay the victim on a hard surface with his back, while it is not allowed to sit down, get up. Regardless of the damaged area, it is necessary to securely fix the cervical spine. There are special collars for this. If there is no such device at hand, then you can roll up a tight roller of clothes and fasten it around your neck.

Several people should carry the victim in order to keep the body at the same level and minimize movement in the spine. Such transportation will help to avoid secondary trauma to the spinal cord.

In this case, it is necessary to control the pulse and breathing of a person. In case of violations, resuscitation should be provided according to the general rules. Do not leave the victim alone and do not shift him from place to place unless absolutely necessary. It is imperative to call an ambulance.

Principles of treatment and rehabilitation after spinal injury

The consequences of spinal injuries directly depend on the timeliness and correctness of first aid, on the type and mechanism of injury, and on concomitant damage to the spinal cord.

Treatment can be conservative and surgical. With a mild degree of injury, therapy is only conservative. Symptomatic drugs are prescribed (analgesics, hemostatic, restorative, anti-inflammatory), strict bed rest, massage, exercise therapy, physiotherapy.

In more severe cases, conservative treatment can be supplemented with closed reposition (simultaneous reduction of dislocations, fractures, traction) followed by immobilization of damaged segments of the spine (collars for the cervical region, corsets for the thoracic or lumbar).

Exercise therapy is the main method of rehabilitation after spinal injuries

Surgical treatment is resorted to in case of spinal cord injury or its high risk due to spinal instability. Also, surgery can be prescribed if conservative therapy is ineffective. After operations, strict immobilization or traction is used.

Recovery after a spinal injury is a rather long and laborious process. In case of injuries without compression of the spinal cord, exercise therapy is indicated from the first days of rehabilitation. They start with breathing exercises, gradually perform exercises for the limbs and spine. The training must be supervised by a rehabilitation doctor. Massage and physiotherapy are also prescribed.

With spinal cord injuries, recovery is supplemented by drug treatment, which is aimed at regenerating nervous tissue, electrical impulse therapy, and acupuncture.

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to restore functions lost due to spinal injury. But the desire to get well, as well as competent treatment and a rehabilitation program, sometimes work wonders.

Spinal injuries are dangerous and quite common. In some cases, subsequent problems may not arise, recovery is quick, while in others, complications may remain for life, such as paralysis.

Statistics say that spinal injuries account for 12% of all injuries. This is a huge number for injuries of this kind, since the consequences can be the most terrifying - a person becomes disabled. It should be noted that the damage to the ridge is very different due to the high mobility of the entire apparatus.

Anyone can suffer, regardless of age. According to statistics, men over 40 and the elderly are more likely to be injured due to weakening of the bones with age. Children receive such a skeletal disorder quite rarely, and neck damage is a characteristic injury. Nowadays, the statistics have become more diverse due to infant injuries, as the number of births by caesarean section has increased.

Anatomical structure of the spine

The spinal column is a kind of core of the human skeleton. In total, it consists of 34 vertebrae:

in the neck area - 7;
in the chest area - 12;
lower back - 5;
sacrum and coccyx - 7-10 fused.

The structure of the vertebra includes the body and the restrictive arch that closes the vertebral foramen. In addition, the vertebrae are 7-processed (2 paired - upper and lower articular, 1 spinous).

The articular processes are combined into an articular capsule, which allows the spine to be a mobile bone joint. The vertebrae themselves are united due to the elasticity of the vertebral discs.

The discs do not have a blood supply - this slows down natural regeneration, making such ailments an order of magnitude more dangerous. The risk of developing such a disease as osteochondrosis, which degeneratively affects the human skeleton, increases.

The intervertebral disc has a number of functions responsible for the mobility and stability of the ridge. The first function is the increased mobility of the spine, which allows a person to make all kinds of movements. In addition, the discs serve as a shock absorber, evenly distributing the imposed loads on the spine. Due to all this, complete stabilization of the entire spine is achieved.

The vertebrae are interconnected by ligaments: longitudinal - 1 in front, 1 behind; interarginal, interspinous and supraspinous. The cervical vertebrae are called atlas and axial because they have changed along with human evolution. Now they are responsible for uniting the head and spine into a single whole.

The bone marrow is dressed in three different shells - arachnoid, soft and hard. With a decrease, the brain narrows into a cerebral cone, passing into the nervous network.

The hollow space allows you to make any movement without pain. The supply of the brain is achieved at the expense of the blood spinal arteries, which are deformed during injuries - they narrow, squeeze or stretch, thrombosis develops.

Thus, the injury does not affect the damage to the spinal cord - it is disturbed as a result of the pathology of the blood supply channels. But such injuries, accompanied by disorders in the spinal cord, must be treated promptly and promptly.

Causes of spinal injuries

Signs of injury have a separate classification. It covers the main causes of traumatic action.

The most serious injuries are spinal injuries in the cervical region, since it is in this area that there is no natural muscle corset that protects the bones and maintains the integrity of the entire connection. If the spinal cord is additionally damaged, then the consequences of a spinal injury are terrible: the victim dies on the spot, and a broken neck is diagnosed as a cause of death.

Other departments are damaged a little less often: the lumbar - a little more often than the chest. Therefore, there are a number of popular factors that cause injury:

awkward fall from a great height;
jump into water with a close bottom;
car crashes;
violent wounds (gunshot, knife wound and the like);
lifting heavy objects.

It was found that the severity directly depends on the lifestyle of a person. In people leading a predominantly lethargic and sedentary lifestyle, spinal injuries will be several times more serious. This happens due to the fact that unsportsmanlike people have a very poorly developed muscle tone, and muscles in this state cannot serve as an excellent natural support for the spinal column. And since the load during an injury falls on the spine, and not on the muscles, then the likelihood of getting a serious pathology (fracture, bruise, crack, etc.) is very high.

Actively involved in sports people, on the contrary, have a kind of insurance for such cases. But the risk of getting a rupture or sprain during sports increases. This happens due to insufficient warming up before starting exercise. However, rupture and sprain are much easier to heal than fractures with damage to the spinal cord and nervous system.

Important! It has been proven that of all mammals, only humans are subject to such frequent injuries of the spine. A fall from a great height for a cat will cost only a fright, and dogs are not injured at all without a directed blow.

Systematization of injuries

The classification determines the spinal injury, which establishes the overall prognosis for subsequent therapy. In addition, the pathology is further classified into two different types: open and closed.

The characteristic features of violations completely depend on localization:

the connective tissues of the spine are injured as a result of ruptures and sprains. Pretty light injuries compared to the rest;
vertebral fracture is a compression injury, further subdivided into injuries of such types as: comminuted, marginal and explosive, vertical and horizontal. At risk are people with osteoporosis;
pathology in the intervertebral disc - a rupture of the ring, accompanied by a violation in the internal structure of the disc: its part simply falls inside the vertebra;
injury to bone arches and outgrowths;
various eversion injuries;
change in the location of the vertebrae relative to each other.

Any fractures of the spine are further divided into two types:

with displacement - the axis of the spine is broken, the risk of bone marrow compression develops. The rehabilitation course is long;
without offset - recovery is an order of magnitude faster.

Spinal fractures are ranked according to the damaged section. So, traumatism of the anterior section is characterized by stable lesions that carry little risk - especially if there was no displacement. Compression or unstable injuries are caused by a one-time violation of the integrity of different parts of the vertebrae: both the arches and the processes. Regardless of whether the bone marrow is affected by exposure, there is always a risk of consequences - since it can be damaged by any awkward movement.

Spinal cord disorders

Different bone marrow injuries entail specific manifestations. Concussion of the head and spinal medulla is usually limited to reversible functional damage. Bruising and contusion are dangerous damage to nerve tissues, and compression is often caused by fragments of the vertebrae and is characterized by easily diagnosed symptoms:

concussion of the head and bone marrow;
contusion - causes damage to nerve tissues and cells;
compression - caused by fragments of the vertebrae or the following symptoms: hemorrhage in the tissue, swelling, fracture of the disc, etc.;
rupture - severe partial or general damage.

Important! Bone marrow injuries inevitably complicate any spinal injury, and in order to prevent serious complications, the patient should be provided with timely and correct medical therapy.

Symptoms of pathology

With a spinal injury, symptoms appear depending on the type of injury. Any injury to the spine is accompanied by severe pain.

The bruise is also characterized by acute pain, giving almost the entire back. There are extensive hemorrhages, severe edema develops. Movements are not limited, but sharp - accompanied by pain. When palpating, increased pain is likely, signs of sciatica appear. Often the symptom is manifested due to heavy lifting, which occurred abruptly and with an uneven load.

If a bruise is accompanied by a fracture of the processes or a contraction of muscle tissue, then the pain is moderate, but palpation of the localization site gives an increase in pain by two to three times.

With a fracture of the transverse outgrowth, Payr's symptom appears, characterized by concentrated pain in the areas around the spine, aggravated by any movement. There is also a sticky heel syndrome - the victim cannot raise the straight leg even while lying down.

Whiplash injuries are defined by soreness in the neck and head, with numbness in the limbs. Memory lapses appear, nerve disturbances occur - paralysis may develop.

Transdental dislocation of the atlas appears when the head is forcibly bent or by a direct fall on it. Symptoms are different - severe pain is reflected in the back of the head. Bursting fractures of the atlas are characterized by the death of the victim in case of displacement. If there is no displacement, then the following symptoms appear: pain, lack of sensitivity in the neck and nape. Pronounced neurological impairment.

Any type of injury is characterized by pain, a significant limitation in movement. The interspinous spaces are expanding, with palpation a bulge is determined at the site of injury. A curvature of the growth line is revealed, in 30% of cases there is a pathology of the bone marrow. The lower cervical vertebrae are most commonly affected.

Fractures and fractures with dislocation are diagnosed most often in the thoracic and lumbar regions. They are characterized by severe pain, hematomas and edema, restriction of movement. Muscle tissue is very tense.

Symptoms of spinal cord injury

Signs of the affected bone marrow are directly dependent on the level of localization of damage, as well as its shape. The critical level is in the region of the 4th cervical vertebra - an injury to any area above leads to death, as paralysis of the diaphragm develops. The person simply cannot breathe and dies of suffocation.

With spinal cord injuries, movements are preserved, however, a violation of sensitivity can be noted, including its complete disappearance. The functionality of the pelvis suffers - the lower limbs lose the ability to move or move with difficulty.

With spinal injuries, the flow of blood and lymph is severely disturbed, pressure sores are formed. A complete rupture of the brain is accompanied by ulceration of the digestive tract - extensive internal bleeding appears, leading to death.

Urgent care

It is highly not recommended to provide any assistance to the injured before the arrival of the ambulance, since any careless movement can only aggravate the condition of the victim. You can not lift the head of the victim, move him in any direction or turn him over. Achieving complete immobilization before the arrival of doctors is necessary. Many victims, in shock that covers the pain, try to get to their feet - in no case should he be allowed to do this.

Doctors advise not to touch the victim, but in no case let him lose consciousness - you need to talk with him, trying to keep your attention on words and distract from painful sensations. In this case, the victim must be in a fixed prone position, that is, in complete immobilization.

Methods of immobilization are limited - you can not unprofessional splint, try to move the victim. You can fix it by holding the limbs and head of a person. In this case, you can not put anything under your head.

It is necessary to do urgent resuscitation of the heart and lungs if cardiac arrest is noticed. Be sure to do artificial respiration and indirect massage of the heart muscle, keeping the victim conscious.

An ambulance must be called immediately. You can not transport the victim to the hospital on your own - shaking can damage him. Immobilization can be achieved by tying the victim to a stretcher and maintaining a minimum vehicle speed.

For minor injuries, when the victim can move, it is acceptable to apply cold compresses and take painkillers before a medical examination. If you suspect a spinal injury, you should seek help.

Important! It is forbidden to apply ice to a person who cannot move, give pain medication, try to splint or lift the victim - this will only lead to complications.

Medical therapy

Such injuries are divided into open and closed, complicated and not complicated. In addition, injuries can be reversed, or they can have serious consequences. The correct provision of acceptable assistance is very important, and the correct therapeutic therapy depends on further diagnosis.

Minor injuries with little pain - tears, sprains and bruises - are quickly identified. All you need is an X-ray, as well as the appointment of supportive treatment aimed at accelerating the course of rehabilitation. Enough medication.

Severe spinal injuries resulting from a fall or a traffic accident should not be self-treated. They often lead to death. It is very important to fix the victim in one position, not allowing him to rise - movement of the neck can lead to paralysis. It is necessary to prevent any movements, which will help in the future in the treatment.

Timely assistance and transportation of the victim to the hospital allow us to give only favorable forecasts for the preservation of his life and motor function. Comprehensive diagnostics is carried out - X-ray, computed tomography, MRI. Examinations are aimed at finding out the nature of the damage, the causes of spinal injuries and determining further treatment.

Treatment of spinal injuries includes both conservative therapy and surgical intervention. Conservative treatment is often used only for bruises and sprains, as well as spondylolisthesis (sliding of the vertebrae under each other). The operation is used if the injury has occurred with a displacement and is of an open type. Closed fractures require surgical treatment in cases where complete immobilization is not possible or the spinal cord is damaged.

In the treatment, various warming ointments, chondroprotectors, vitamin complexes are used - all medicines to accelerate natural regeneration. It is recommended to observe bed rest, wear a bandage and perform exercises aimed at tissue repair. Medicines are prescribed to restore blood circulation, as well as to rehabilitate damage to the nervous system and artificially accelerate metabolism.

The treatment of children is more effective than the treatment of adults: since the young organism is at the stage of development, and the damage is eliminated along with the growth of the child.

Rehabilitation period

Rehabilitation activities take more than 3 months, and it is not recommended to interrupt classes. A special diet is prescribed, as well as a course of daily massage aimed at tissue repair.

With such injuries, no doctor can accurately inform the victim about the recovery time, since they largely depend on the individual abilities of the body. Proper and timely treatment gives great chances for a full recovery.

Spinal injuries are a fairly common pathology today and account for 17-25% of all traumatic injuries. In addition, in 20-35% of cases, a spinal injury is combined with a lesion of the spinal cord, which passes directly inside the vertebrae. Then such an injury is called vertebral-spinal and, as a rule, has serious consequences for human health.

The causes of spinal injuries are very diverse and often directly related to the modern development of technology: high-speed cars, high-rise buildings, high pace of life. The most common among them:

diver injury. It occurs when a person jumps like a fish into a pond, not knowing the bottom topography. When immersed in water, the diver hits invisible obstacles (stones, shallow bottom) with his head, it throws back, and under the influence of body weight, the cervical spine is traumatized.

- traffic accidents. In this case, a person can be injured while in a car, or suffer while being a pedestrian.

- a fall from a height is always accompanied by damage to the back, but injuries are especially serious if the victim lands on their feet. Then the force of the body weight, enhanced by the fall, sharply affects the spine, and a compression (from compression) fracture of the spine occurs.

- Also, the causes of back injuries can be gunshot, knife or other types of wounds. Here the location of the lesion and its permeability matter.

Spinal injuries can be classified according to several criteria:

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Hello! I am 14 years old. I am sooo thin, my height is 156, and my weight is 38 kg. The fact is that at the age of 12, I broke the vertebrae 11, 10 and some other bruise. Now everything is fine ... I lay for half a year and recovered for another six months. Now, in adolescence, I had a question: Could a fracture have affected development? In terms of sexual ... Of course, I grew from 12 centimeters to 25, but the fat has not increased (((If the fracture still affects development, then how many years or months, approximately, am I behind?

Two years ago, the stone injured the left upper back between the shoulder blade and the spine.
About a year later she began to cough, mostly at night.
There was pain in the left arm and left shoulder. There was a shortness of breath during physical exertion, even climbing the stairs to the second floor became difficult. It was hard to breathe.
A month ago, with another cough at 4 am, traces of blood appeared in the sputum. Two days ago, when coughing in the morning at 5 am, a clot of dark blood came out with sputum. During the day, there is almost no coughing and blood. What could be the consequences?
Thanks
Irina

Hello! My cousin, she fell from the fifth floor, speaks normally, her arm works, that's just her legs, she doesn't feel them, and she hasn't been walking for 3 years now, the doctors made a diagnosis. Fracture of the spine compression thoracic dressed 5-6 spine. If or chance? What will go? And where do you need to apply? I really want to live a natural life.

He fell two meters away from the doctor, he did not go to the doctor for two months. If I don’t do anything, I’ll do a good job of warming my back a little and resting my head

Hello, my best friend fell from a meter height and broke the 7th and 11th vertebrae, a month has passed now he raises his hands, talks, but he can’t squeeze his fist below the waist, he doesn’t feel anything, there were ulcers on his back and ulcers have formed, I will be grateful for help. I ask very strongly a guy of 25 years old, young, energetic, kind, athletic, and this happened to him ...

You need to go to a rehabilitation center. This is not for us, unfortunately.

Hello, I fell from the sofa to my full height onto my back, now on the right in the kidney area, acute pain wrapped around as if it were easier to eat, the temperature pain gives to my right leg, it’s hard to roll over, thanks

Hello! Mom fell off a stool and hit her back. There was severe pain. Of the visible injuries on the back, the skin was only slightly torn off (it hit the corner of the stool when falling) and the impact site was slightly swollen. After a few hours, a blue (barely noticeable) peeps under the skin, the swelling has not decreased. We visited a traumatologist, he prescribed an X-ray of 6-9 ribs. The doctor did not see any damage in the picture. He prescribed Ketanol injections for 5 days, Ketarol gel and Melox for 5 days. We take the pills for two days, until we see no improvement. I am concerned that my mother is in sharp pain when she tries to sit or turn. She can only lie down or stand upright. What can you say about such symptoms?

My name is Alexey Afanasiev. On May 16, 2012, at the construction site where I worked, a metal frame of more than 280 kg fell off the excavator. and fell on me. No one sees behind! As a result of my injuries, I became a person chained to a bed, an invalid - a patient with paraplegia. Due to a contusion of the brain and spinal cord, a compression fracture of the T6-T7 bodies of the spine, I have been confined to a wheelchair for 4 years now (I have been in bed for a year, due to a poorly thinking head). Thank God I survived!!! I am fighting for my full life, for the opportunity to walk and raise my children! I am a very real person.
I want to learn how to walk with my own feet and be a support for my family, protection for those who need it. What was before the injury, read) https://vk.com/alex_afanasev
The very question I have for you is this, because of the doctors to whom I got, the spinal cord was squeezed by broken vertebrae for a month, then, thank God, they were removed, the brain turned out to be free, nothing compresses it, will I walk?

Good afternoon. My daughter had a compression fracture of the thoracic spine without spinal cord injury a year ago. On the second day after the injury, the left leg did not move for 2 days, there were severe pains in the fold of this leg (how to explain ... in the fold at the base of the leg). When I was discharged from the hospital, there was no pain in my legs. A week ago, the child began to complain of pain in the left leg, again in the fold. I think to what doctor to address? To a traumatologist or a neuropathologist? The child is 6 years old. Thank you in advance for your response.

Hello. I have a process in the place of the thoracic spine where the diaphragm appeared. Presses on the chest and if touched painfully. And ct showed that the suspicion of a hernia of the stomach. Why did this sprout appear? Is it dangerous?

2 years ago there was a compression fracture of the thoracic vertebrae. Now pregnant, 35 weeks. The fracture site hurts. From what can be?

my son suffered a spinal injury lower paraplegia, is it possible to restore functions and can this be done at the Ignatiev clinic

Hello. I want to ask. My brother had an injury almost 3 years ago. Closed unstable compression fractures of the bodies of L 1.L5 vertebrae with anterior dislocation of the bodies of Th12.L4 vertebrae with severe deformity of the spinal canal and compression of the spinal cord at the level of Th12-L1. Ruptures of the discs of Th12-L1.L4 - L5 vertebrae. Bruises of the spinal cord and cauda equina at the level of Th11-Th12, L4-L5. Fracture of the articular process of Th12-L1. Rupture of the pubic joint. Ruptures of the sacroiliac joints from 2 sides. Rupture of the spinal cord. extension of the spinal cord after 3 years from the moment of injury?

Good afternoon, such a question, the girl had an accident, the doctors said that the compression fracture of the lumbar spine. Paralysis of the legs, we move her in a wheelchair. There is no pain in the back, there are no other serious injuries either.
The question is, will she ever be able to walk?
The girl herself is an athletics athlete from the age of 5, now she is 20. The injury was received 2 months ago.

Hello! In 2007, I broke two thoracic vertebrae and two cervical vertebrae. Can this often cause a headache?
Maybe. Do an MRI of the cervical spine and brain and the reason will be clear.
Hello. I had a compression fracture of the 7th vertebra of the thoracic spine. It's been 5 years already. My neck started to bother me. Could this be a consequence? And can I go for a massage now?
We do not treat the spine after fractures. Neck pain may be due to trauma. Your attending physician should tell you about the massage. Sincerely
Hello. My boyfriend had a fracture at the base of his skull in an accident. Now he has partial paralysis of the entire right side. The right arm and leg practically do not work. Hearing and vision impairment. Tell me what to do to restore?
Unfortunately, we do not deal with rehabilitation after injuries. Contact other clinics. Sincerely
Hello.
My mother has a fracture of the spine and a hernia in the thoracic region. But MRI of the thoracic and lumbar regions show that the spinal cord is not damaged. The signals are normal. Why can't her legs move? They did ENMG. Conductivity is normal. On the spot, she can walk for a long time. But it cannot go forward. Weakness, heaviness in the legs and cramps. The neurologist prescribed gliatilin. After him, it became bad, his legs were even more constrained. Maybe she has vascular problems. what other examinations are needed?
Sincerely,
Catherine
Unfortunately, we do not deal with this kind of problems. Contact neurosurgeons.
In my experience, nothing develops the back like riding a horse.

Good afternoon. I am asking for help with this question:
9 years ago I had a compression fracture of 7.8 spines, now I am 24 and I am pregnant, can you tell me if this fracture can be reflected in pregnancy or childbirth?
Hello, I got into an accident 9 years ago and damaged my cervical vertebrae C5 C6, my legs work, I have sensitivity but not everywhere, I feel cold and warm, sometimes my legs twitch, rise, bend. there is no ejaculation and in general the sexual organ does not rise, how to fix this defect? can anything be done? we really want children In 2010, I was hit by a car. Diagnosis: Closed vertebral spinal cord injury, compressive comminuted fracture of the Tn12 vertebral body type A4, compression fracture of the Tn11 vertebral body type A1. Injury and compression of the spinal cord. Thoracic pain syndrome.
Open repation-reclination of TN 12, transpendicular fixation of STYKER metal structures, transthoracic approach, removal of the posterior sections of the body of TN 12 with adjacent discs, spinal fusion with STYKER. Moderately prolonged pronounced radicular pain syndrome.
At the beginning they said that this metal structure was installed for life. And now, after 3 years, I went for a consultation, they say that I need to clean it up! I was very upset, and very afraid to go through all this back! Tell me, please, how can I be? And is there any guarantee that then I will not have problems with the spine? Or is it still better to leave this disc for life? Well, he does not interfere with my life, please help me - what should I do? ((((((((((Thank you in advance!
Consultant: The fact is that you should discuss these issues with a neurosurgeon and preferably with more than one. We specialize in the Ignatiev methods, they do not apply to you. Contact the International Center for Neurosurgery.

considered one of the most dangerous. Since the damage involves the structures of the spine, it can affect the spinal cord, cause an inability to move, and even be fatal. That is why it is so important to know how such injuries are manifested and treated.

In order for first aid to be timely and correct, it is important to understand the factors that causespinal injury. Causes of injury can be:

Unsuccessful landing after falling from a high object;
about water or uneven bottom when diving;
Fall from a height of one's own height due to fainting;
Accident on the road, at home or at work;
Overloading the spine when lifting weights;
Incorrect approach to performing physical exercises;
Back injuries during childbirth;
Injuries caused by cold or firearms;
Explosions;
Old age, violation of the structure of the vertebral discs and cartilage;
Strong blow to the ridge;
Chronic pathologies that weaken the bone structure.

Depending on whetherwhat causes spinal cord injury, a certain part of the ridge is affected. For example, road traffic accidents provoke damage to the neck, and production - to the lumbar region. Difficult childbirth leads to stretching of the vertebral structures.

Classification of spinal injuries

Principles of treatmentspine and spinal cord injuriesdepend on the nature of the damage. The disease is divided into several groups, based on the location of the lesion, its degree and type of deformation.

Depending on the anatomical features of the pathology, several types of injuries are distinguished:

. They are characterized by a violation of the structure of the bone of the ridge, nearby nervous and soft tissues. Dangerous for life, can lead to the inability of the patient to move. The most vulnerable to fractures is the neck.
Dislocations. A special feature is a violation of the integrity of the segment due to the displacement of one vertebra to the side compared to the other. Often observed in the cervical region, sometimes in the lumbar region.
bruises. The injury is not accompanied by a violation of the structure of the spinal cord and deformation of the segments. Bruises are characterized by hemorrhage, death of damaged tissues, slowing down of the movement of cerebrospinal fluids, compression of nerves. The injury affects the sternum and upper back most often.
Disk breaks. There is an exit of the internal structures of the component to the outside or the destruction of the outer shell. The nerve root also suffers.
Syndrome of compression for a long period. Deviations in the work of the body are observed due to the release of toxins into the blood with strong prolonged pressure on the tissues of the back and clamping of the blood channels.
Paraplegia. It is characterized by the absence of motor functions in the limbs due to grazing of the spinal cord.

Depending on the localization of the injury, there is damage to the neck, sternum and lower back and a combined lesion affecting several departments.

The lower back is most commonly affected. Damage to the neck and sternum is observed only in ¼ of cases.

Symptoms of spinal injuries

Symptoms of a spinal injurydepend on the location and degree of damage, as well as the age of the patient. There are some signs that are characteristic of most cases:

Strong spasm in the area of impact, radiating to the lower limbs;
Burning and numbness in the legs, in especially severe cases - a complete loss of the ability to control them;
problems with movement;
Loss or decrease in sensitivity of the muscular apparatus;
Problems with orientation in space, migraine, nausea, memory loss.

If the structures of the spinal cord are damaged, the patient suffers from spinal shock: he loses nervous excitability, there is a decrease in reflex functions, he feels unwell from the gastrointestinal tract and the genitourinary system. Paralysis of all or only the upper or lower extremities is possible.

First aid for spinal injuryis to immediately contact a specialist: a surgeon or a traumatologist. An injured person must be handled with the utmost care. It is forbidden to try to plant it, turn it or raise it to a vertical position.

So you need to act if you suspect a spine injury:

Put the patient on something firm and always even and provide him with complete peace of mind;
To lift the victim and place him in another place, the coordinated work of several people is needed: they must keep the body at the same level, not allowing the spine to bend;
If the cervical region is affected, the patient is placed on his back and his head is fixed so that it is on the same level with the body.

Diagnostics

you need to be examined by a surgeon and an orthopedic traumatologist. If necessary, you should also seek help from a vertebroneurologist and a rehabilitation specialist.

Diagnostic methods include the following procedures:

Spondylography. For correct assessment, it is necessary to carry out in different projections. Helps to determine the degree of damage and the presence of violations of the bone structure.
Puncture of the spinal cord of the lumbar type. Allows you to identify the ingress of blood into the subarachnoid region.
Myelography. Helps to determine the force of compression of the spinal cord and identify violations in the work of impulses.
Antiography in a selective way. Allows you to identify problems with blood circulation.
CT and MRI. Contribute to obtaining a complete picture of the injury. They provide information about the degree, location and nature of the deformation.

Principles of treatment and rehabilitation

Therapy spinal injuriesis based on the provision of correct emergency assistance, correct transportation of a person with a back injury, selection of an effective complex treatment method and subsequent recovery measures.

The normalization of the state of the ridge is carried out under stationary conditions. The type and degree of injury determine the type of therapy - conservative or surgical.

If the stability of the spine has not been impaired, the victim should be kept in bed, regularly do special massages and resort to heat treatment.

Serious spinal injuries require normalization of its position by reduction or closed traction. The ridge is then immobilized with a corset or collar.

Surgery is performed to relieve compression of the spinal cord and normalize blood circulation in the injured area. If the patient has a clinical picture characteristic of damage to the cerebrospinal fluid, an urgent operation is necessary.

If conservative therapy is ineffective, surgical treatment should also be carried out. The operation allows you to restore the structure and integrity of the ridge artificially. After surgery, immobilization and bed rest are indicated, if necessary, traction is performed.

Spinal injuries require long-term rehabilitation after major therapeutic techniques or surgery.

If the spinal cord has not been affected, it is enough to do therapeutic exercises to recover. In the first time after injury, breathing exercises are shown. After 1-2 weeks, charging connects positions for arms and legs. Gradually, the complexity of gymnastics occurs.

When an injury affects the cerebrospinal fluid, electrical impulse treatment and relaxing acupuncture should be included. Of the medicines, drugs are used that help accelerate the recovery of nerve tissues, for example, Methyluracil. It also shows the use of funds to normalize blood circulation. These include