Spine fracture: symptoms, first aid, treatment, rehabilitation

Fracture of the spine – severe pathology arising from mechanical injuries (car accident, fall from a great height, jumping in bodies of water with unknown bottom). Because of the fragility of the bones, manifested with age, older people often break the spine even at insignificant mechanical damage to the body. When fracture of the spine may be damaged vertebra, and maybe several. To injure the spine in any of the sections (neck, chest, lumbar, sacrum).

Especially dangerous injuries of the spine occur in the cervical spine, they are sometimes accompanied by paralysis or death. Symptoms depends on the severity of injuries from damaged or not the spinal cord, torn ligament.

Treatment of fractures of the spine and methods of diagnosis depend on the nature of the damage to the spine. Used to diagnose x-rays, CT scans, MRI and other methods.

Cause of injury

Occurs spinal injury due to a failed diving with bruises on the bottom head, with a strong bend of the head (happens when braking of the machine), due to the fall on the head. There is a fracture of the spine when the patient hit the roof of the car with his head. It is common in road traffic accidents in the coup car.

• See also: Treatment and consequences of a broken neck.

Fractures of the neck vertebrae happen during sudden movements of the neck in flexion, accidents, mechanical stress on the neck. Fractures in the thoracic and cervical spine, usually caused by falling on his feet, a pelvis from a height. They are from falls on the back or shoulder belt load.

• See also: How is the transport in the fracture of the spine?

Types of fractures

They vary in causes, symptoms and other factors. The General classification of such injuries, but we have to differentiate them according to several characteristics:

• Compression type. Occurs as a result of falling and landing on your back, pelvis, legs. When this spinal column is pinched and the height of the vertebrae becomes smaller.
• Flexion-attenzione-flexor injury. Their cause: fall on the back of a heavy object (pile, beam, Board, etc.), sudden extension of any part of the spine in an accident.
• A rotational injury caused by sharp movement of the spine about its axis (rotation). It is often caused by a strong blow to the body.

Fractures of the vertebrae often accompanied by fracture of the apophysis of the spine and trauma to arches. A spinal fracture happens with the damage of one vertebra, and can be broken a few vertebrae.

• See also: First aid for spinal injuries.

Another classification of these injuries is the division into stable and unstable. That is, stable damage occurs without damaging the structure of bones and displacements, but unstable for typical displacement of the bones, injuries with dislocation.

Most common fracture character of compression that occurs due to the compression.

On strain injuries are divided into:

• Wedge fracture – the bones are wedge-shaped (triangular) form.
• Comminuted fracture of the vertebra. "Explosive" fracture of the sliver subtype is a fracture of a vertebral body with crushing bones into fragments, with displacement. The second type of this injury hanging-drop can be determined by the separation of the edges of the vertebra.

Symptoms of a fracture

Fracture of the spine and its symptoms differ from the nature of the injury and its location.

• See also: the Consequences of fracture of the spine.

Symptoms of spinal fracture:

• Pain that becomes stronger when walking, turning the head, the seat. If you touch the damaged vertebra or to load the spine, then pain is worse.
• Movement of the patient is limited due to severe pain and changes of the anatomical structure.
• Visual deformation.
• In complicated injuries often affects the spinal cord, resulting in death or disability. Fractures of the spine, as the symptoms are varied in their manifestations. Symptoms range from numbness to the affected area and atrophy of the muscles and paresis, paralysis, incontinence of feces and urine.

The impact on the spinal cord fractures are divided into contusions, breaks, concussions, etc. For theseinjuries typical neurological symptoms with violation of motor functions of the body. May cause paresis, plegia, etc. When damage to the bones in the lumbar region cease to function the abdominal muscles and body.

• See also: First aid for fracture of the spine.

Even if the injury does not affect the spinal cord, a fracture is fraught with complications: narrowing of the distance between the vertebrae with compression of the discs and nerves. The result of the complications will be a disk hernia, perhaps, the formation of spondylosis and osteophytes.

After fracture of the vertebral body, instability of the bones of the spine often start curvature kyphosis, scoliosis, which was escorted pain, violations of the musculoskeletal system, and problems with internal organs.

• See also: Fracture of the thoracic spine.

First aid

The doctor in the first place excludes the other similar symptoms of the disease (injury, torn ligaments). But even with similar symptoms and suspected fracture of the vertebral bodies and prior to the date of diagnosis should be made of measures to provide first aid, not to harm the patient. What to do if a loved one broke his spine?

Stages first aid

• Immobilization of the patient and his transportation. Man laid on a stretcher, overturning on a back. For transportation use a shield or a stretcher with a hard surface. Legs, arms and body fixed straps for maximum fixation of body position. If there are no special litter or shield, they can be made from plywood or boards. Man is strictly forbidden to move, and the people providing him first aid it is impossible to flip and move. If there is concern that the fracture in the cervical spine, it is recommended to fix the collar area of the materials were on hand (construction paper, fabric). It is impossible to reduce the displacement at fracture of the vertebral bodies.
• Painkillers. The victim with injuries of a lot of pain, to decrease the patient is discharged ketorol, analgin, nimesulide. Drugs to reduce pain do not give, if the victim is unconscious or semiconscious. This leads to the introduction of medication into the respiratory tract, there is a probability of suffocation.

Diagnosis

Visually seeing the patient, the physician may identify a fracture, but the final diagnosis is recommended to confirm or deny using x-rays. If the injury affected spinal cord, then use a CT or MRI. Sometimes you need a spinal tap or use of myelography. These methods estimate the circulation of fluid within the spinal canal.

• See also: Rehabilitation after compression fractures of the spine.

• See also: the consequences of compression fracture of thoracic vertebra 12.

Often for the diagnosis of fracture of the body of the vertebrae is required and inspection by a neurologist. Traumatologist and a neurologist evaluate the patient's condition and treatment together.

Treatment

The therapy includes 2 areas: surgery and conservative methods. Used less and less traction, reposition the bones.

The conservative methodology

Non-surgical therapy is used for injuries without displacement and if the spinal cord is not damaged. The patient requires bed rest 1 to 3 months. With the neck injury, the patient is put on the collar of the Trench. After removing the collar, the patient should be wearing for another 6 months corset, fixing the bone. This period can not exercise.

• See also: Rehabilitation after a spinal fracture.

The patient is recommended complex therapy, which strengthens the muscles and protects the vertebrae from shifts and extra workload. The load on the muscles increases gradually: first the patient is only concerned with breathing exercises, over time, begins to perform the exercises for hands, etc. All the stress and the complex physical therapy is coordinated with your doctor.

After 3 months have passed since the fracture, the patient can swim in the pool and gradually increase the load on the body. To remove the inflammatory process is recommended to undergo a course of physiotherapy.

• See also: the Treatment of compression fractures of the spine.

Basic drugs with conservative treatment:

• Drugs with calcium. They are designed to accelerate the fusion of bones. This is a homeopathic remedy and other vitamins enriched with calcium.
• The drugs that prevent the breakdown of cartilage – the don Asked.
• Means to prevent inflammation, relieving pain medications (Ketorolac, Diclofenac, Nimesulide).
• Ointment and creamtopical application (Voltaren, Fastum gel).

Operation

Trauma with spinal cord lesions, subluxation, bone fragments of the spine of other complications, it is recommended to treat the surgical. Indications for surgical intervention prescribed by doctors individually.

• See also: What are spinal injuries?

The main function of the operations: protection of the spinal cord, stabilization and strengthening of the affected segment of the spine. After the surgery treatment like conservative (bed rest, medication, etc.).