First aid for people with spinal injuries

Do not move the victim if not necessary to avoid further damage to the neck and spine, call 911.

Doctor Nguyen Van Trung, 115 Emergency Center in Ho Chi Minh City, said that about 70% of traffic accidents suffer from neck and spinal injuries . If proper first aid is not provided, the victim may be critical and affect survival.

Dr. Trung instructs the first aid steps for victims of neck and spinal injury as follows:

1. Step 1 : Call the emergency center 115.
2. Step 2 : Gently lay the victim on his back, stretch his limbs, avoid bending his neck and check if the heart condition is still beating, neck vessels, health status to be ready to transfer to the hospital.
3. Step 3 : Fix the cervical spine. The cervical spine must be aligned with the body axis, 2 sandbags or 2 bricks can be inserted between the ears when the victim lies.
4. Step 4 : Check for bleeding wounds to stop bleeding, compression bandages with clothes or rope. With the victim bleeding at the head, the first aid must wrap the bandage around their head to stop the bleeding but always keep the head fixed.
5. Step 5 : Fix the broken bones such as the femur, the forearm by splint, to relieve the victim's pain.
6. Step 6 : Move the victim to the nearest hospital by ambulance, car, absolutely do not transport by motorbike; Keep the head posture straight with the body shaft during transport.

Medical staff of the Emergency Center 115 in Ho Chi Minh City is giving first aid to a victim of a traffic accident.(Photo: Hoai Nhon).

Dr. Trung recommends that, in the first aid process, keep the victim in a straight line, preferably not moving. In case of victim displacement, there must be at least 6 supporters: One person holds the head, 4 people hold the two backs and one retainer. All of them must simultaneously hold the spine, the head of the neck and the victim's legs in a straight line before moving. So, avoid the traumatic injuries for the victims.

Doctor Nguyen Thang Nhat Tue, executive of the Emergency Center of 115 HCM City said: "Many people because of impatience have taken the victim to an emergency room by motorbike, accidentally causing neck and spinal injuries to be more serious. , affect the ability to recover, even paralyzed later ".

According to doctors, if primary rescuing people suffering from neck injury and spinal cord improperly can cause bone marrow destruction, leading to marrow victims can die immediately or have respiratory paralysis, paralysis of limbs unreserved. This is the easy mistake of a lifeguard who lacks knowledge.