Home / Injuries of the spine: compression fractures, bruises, sprains / Fracture of the neck: symptoms, first aid, treatment, effects, rehabilitation, photo, video

Fracture of the neck: symptoms, first aid, treatment, effects, rehabilitation, photo, video

Fracture of cervical vertebra threat of irreversible damage to the brain and spinal cord. Usually the cause of the injury acts as a crash or drop, as a result of fracture is compression of the spinal cord. Cervical injury is often the cause of death of the victim or provides disability caused by paralysis. After a neck injury a person is difficult to restore the functionality of the cervical and cure the injury completely.

perelom shei

Types

Fractures of the cervical are divided into single and multiple, open and closed type. Injuries can be affected by spinal cord injury and without complications. Fractures are divided into comminuted and compression.

Cervical – 7 vertebrae connected by joints and ligaments. Therefore, the human head is not static but movable. Here is the most vulnerable area of the spine.

The most common injury: fracture 4, 5,6 pozvanka. Fracture of the vertebrae 1 and 2 are more rare, but it is difficult to treat. Trauma of this section (1, 2 vertebrae) the spinal cord is pinched, which often leads to paralysis or death.

vozmozhnye prichiny pereloma shejnogo otdela

Reasons

The main reasons for such fractures:

  • Accident
  • The strike at the neck
  • Failed jump (fall) from the height
  • Damage to the vertebrae during a sudden stop of the machine

In the fall risk area:

  • People of old age. This occurs due to the wear of the vertebrae and their destruction. The strain on the neck, just above standard, easily-causes of elderly fractures.
  • Athletes. They by occupation are prone to injuries.
  • Fracture of the cervical spine is a consequence of the loss of muscle mass. Thanks to the muscular corset, the load is distributed evenly.

In addition, the muscles protect the vertebrae from shock, sudden movements.

  • Fractures in other parts of the body. Traumatic brain injury and injuries to the sternum also are the cause of a broken neck.
  • In addition, to injure the vertebrae, you can even move your head to the side.

If you are experiencing pain or discomfort, then the patient to identify the causes of advised to come on reception to the doctor.

Symptoms of a fracture

The pain starts when damage to any of the vertebrae. They are amplified when turning the neck, or any movements of the head. If the injury affected spinal cord, the victim feels a numbing of the hands or feet, perhaps, the onset of paralysis.

1 vertebra

Symptoms are pronounced: the patient complains of pain in the top of the head, neck, aggravated by movements of the body. Pain give in the neck. The injury happens most often after a blow to the head, because there is no cartilage to buffer the impact. Often fracture of the first vertebra, trauma is called "popping", it is usually accompanied by damage to other vertebrae.

2 vertebra

The patient cannot rotate the head. Severe damage is fraught with complications paralysis. The main reason for the occurrence of: sudden flexion of the neck. Trauma is divided into 3 degrees: mild (mild pain when turning, discomfort), medium (causes temporary loss of consciousness, possible neurological disorders, numbness, and sometimes paralysis), third degree causing death.

3-7 vertebra

Trauma 3 vertebra is characterized by inability to rotate the neck and head. Damage 4, 5, 6 vertebrae are characterized by the swelling of the affected area, severe pain. Such injuries to perform any movement of the neck or head will not work. Additionally, the doctor detects neurological deficits.

Damage to the seventh vertebra visible visually, especially if the fracture has shifted.

Fracture 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 vertebrae is often supplemented by a torn ligament, by visual inspection visible swelling, skin color changes. Trauma surgeons have noted, damage to this area may be combined with tendon rupture. At rupture, the patient cannot rotate the head, a hematoma.

  • See also: href="http://spine.vsebolezni.com/travmy/transportirovka-pri-perelome-pozvonochnika.html">How is the transport in the fracture of the spine?

Diagnosis

An experienced doctor's visual inspection will be able to see a fracture of the cervical vertebrae. At a palpation the doctor will identify the exact location of the damage. But not always, a broken neck is visible, so additional methods of diagnosis will be the x-ray imaging. They accurately identify the location of the injury and identify functional disorders in the cervical spine.

Treatment

A broken neck is fixed a collar, whose task is to keep the vertebrae in a state of immobility. The collar secures the correct position of the neck. In addition, the injured person requires bed rest. So removed an extra burden from her neck. A broken neck is always very painful, so your doctor prescribes painkillers.

If the damaged spinal cord, the patient requires an operation, freeing pinched nerves and vertebral column space.

Simultaneously, the surgeon restores the correct anatomical position of the vertebrae. After surgery the patient is put on a jockstrap for fixing the position of the head which takes the load off the cervical. The duration of wearing the brace from 2 to 3 months.

If the neck comminuted fracture, surgery to restore the vertebra and eliminate the pieces.

The rehabilitation period

After the vertebrae are fused, using a set of exercises for recovery, aimed at strengthening blood flow to the damaged area. Physical therapy will improve your metabolism, and will record the anatomical position of the vertebrae. Complex physical therapy is developed for each patient, to perform the exercises impossible. This leads to complications and re-injury.

It is recommended to undergo a course of massage. It will strengthen the muscles of the patient and accelerate the healing process. The massage is performed only by specialists. The rehabilitation course lasts from 3 months to several years. The duration is affected by severity of injury.