" Chapter 13, Head, Neck, Back injuries"

What kind of questions should you ask the person if they are responsive?

-Does your neck or back hurt? -What happened? -Where does it hurt? -Can you move your hands and feet? -Can you feel where I am touching?

While waiting for EMS personnel to arrive, always care for head, neck and back injuries as follows

-Minimize movement of the head, neck and back using manual stabilization. -Check for life-threatening conditions. -Monitor consciousness and breathing. -Control external bleeding. -Maintain normal body temperature. (Shock prevention)

How do you perform manual stabilization and help prevent further damage to the spinal column,

-Place your hands on both sides of the person's head in the position in which you found it. -Gently support the person's head in that position until EMS personnel arrive and take over. -Try to keep the person from moving his or her lower body, since this movement will change the position of the head and neck. -Do not attempt to align the head and lower body. If the head is sharply turned to one side, do not move it. Support it in the position found.

Each year how many Americans suffers a head, neck or spinal injury serious enough to require medical care?

2 million

What are the steps for care for a person that's concussion?

Anyone suspected of having a concussion should be examined by a health-care provider

When approaching a person who has Head, Neck and Spinal Injuries what should you do first?

Approach the person from the front so he or she can see you without turning his or her head, and tell the person to respond verbally to your questions.

What are the signals that indicate a serious injury continued?

Blood or other fluids in the ears or nose. Profuse external bleeding. Seizures. Impaired breathing or impaired vision. Nausea or vomiting. Persistent headache. Loss of balance. Bruising of the head, especially around the eyes or behind the ears.

What are the signals that indicate a serious injury?

Changes in the level of consciousness. Severe pain. Tingling or loss of sensation. Partial or complete loss of movement. Unusual bumps or depressions. Sudden loss of memory.

What are the steps to cure an ear injury?

Control bleeding from the soft tissues of the ear by applying direct pressure

What are the steps for caring for a scalp injury?

Control bleeding with direct pressure. If you feel a depression, spongy areas or bone fragments, do not put direct pressure on the wound. Secure the dressings. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

If a victim has a serious head injury, which suspected to have blood or other fluid what should you not do?

Do not attempt to stop this drainage with direct pressure. Cover the ear lightly with a sterile dressing. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

When checking the scene and the person who has withstand a head, neck or spinal injuries, what should you look for?

Evaluate the scene for clues Look for what cause the injuries Ask the person if responsive

What is an ear injury?

External injuries, such as lacerations or abrasions, are common. Avulsions may also occur.

True or False Head, neck and back injuries can't become life threatening.

False Head, neck and back injuries can become life threatening

True or False If the person begins to vomit, do not roll him or her into the recovery position to keep the airway clear

False If the person begins to vomit, carefully roll him or her into the recovery position to keep the airway clear.

True or False It is usually not difficult to determine the extent of damage in head, neck or back injuries, so treat all as serious injuries

False It is usually difficult to determine the extent of damage in head, neck or back injuries, so treat all as serious injuries

True or False The head is not easily injured because it lacks the padding of muscle and fat found in other areas of the body.

False The head is easily injured because it lacks the padding of muscle and fat found in other areas of the body

True or False You always have to put a person onto his or her back to check breathing

False You do not always have to put a person onto his or her back to check breathing

What is an eye injury?

Injuries to the eye can involve the bone and the soft tissue surrounding the eye or eyeball. Blunt objects or a smaller object may injure the eye area or penetrate the eyeball. Injuries that penetrate the eyeball are serious and can cause blindness.

Often, acute back pain that develops suddenly is a result of one of the following causes:

Ligament pulls and muscle strains ÷Extraneous effort that stretches or tears soft tissue that supports the spine Vertebrae displacement ÷Twisting motion that forces vertebrae out of place Slipped (prolapsed) disk ÷Pressure or force which causes the soft center of a disk to protrude through the outer layer

What is the most common cause of a head, neck or back injuries?

Motor vehicles Collisions

What are the steps to care for a nosebleed?

Place the victim in a seated position, with the head slightly forward while pinching the nostrils together. Have the victim apply this pressure for at least 10 minutes. Other methods of controlling bleeding include applying an ice pack on the bridge of the nose or putting pressure on the upper lip just beneath the nose.

Signals of lower back injury?

Sharp or shooting pain or tightness in the lower back. Sharp pain in one leg. Sharp pain and tightness across the lower back. A sudden, sharp pain in the back and a feeling that something has snapped. Inability to bend over without pain

What are the other causes of a head, neck or back injuries?

Sports, recreational activities and violent acts.

What are the steps to remove a foreign body from the eye?

Tell the victim to blink several times. If blinking does not work, gently flush the eye with water. If the object remains, the victim should receive advanced medical care. The eye should be continuously flushed until EMS personnel arrive.

What are consider a mouth, Jaw or neck injurie?

The primary concern for any injury to the mouth, jaw or neck is to ensure that the airway is open

When checking a head injury what should you look for?

To control bleeding, place several dressings, folded or rolled, inside the mouth, against the cheek. If external bleeding is also present, place dressings on the outside of the cheek and apply direct pressure. If an object passes completely through the cheek and becomes embedded and you cannot control bleeding, remove the object.

True or False Foreign bodies that get in the eye are irritating and can cause significant damage

True

True or False If the nosebleed is persistent, seek additional medical care

True

True or False If the person is breathing, support him or her in the position in which you found him or her.

True

True or False If the person is not breathing or you cannot tell, roll the person gently onto his or her back, but avoid twisting the spine. /Carefully tilt the head and lift the chin just enough to open the airway, or give rescue breaths if needed

True

True or False If the victim loses consciousness, place the victim on his or her side and call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number immediately

True

True or False Injuries to the head, neck or back often damage both bone and soft tissue, including brain tissue and the spinal cord

True

True or False Nosebleeds may also be caused by high blood pressure or changes in altitude

True

True or False Today, There are hundreds of thousands of permanently disabled victims with a wide range of physicals and mental impairments.

True

How do you prevent a lower back injury?

Using improper techniques when lifting or moving heavy objects is one way to injure the back

What causes nose injuries?

blow from a blunt object resulting in a nosebleed

Anatomy Review: Head

skull (cranial cavity) and face

Anatomy Review: Neck

soft tissue and cervical spine

Anatomy Review: Spine

soft tissue and cervical spine

Anatomy Review: Brain

soft tissue; regions of the brain

When checking a victim with a suspected head, neck or back injury's you should look for what?

swollen or bruised areas

What can cause a internal ear injury?

§A direct blow. §Sudden pressure changes. §A foreign object.

What are the steps for care if someone trachea is collapsed?

§Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number. §Keep the victim from moving. §Encourage the victim to breathe slowly. §Control external bleeding. §For a large laceration to the neck, apply an occlusive dressing.

If the injurie cause serious enough to fracture or dislocate the jaw , what are the step to care for the injuries?

§Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number. §Maintain an open airway. §Check inside the mouth for bleeding. §Control bleeding. §Minimize movement of the head, neck and back.

How do you treat someone who got their tooth knocked out?

§Carefully pick up the tooth by the crown, not the root. §Rinse off the root of the tooth in water if it is dirty, do not scrub. §Temporarily store an avulsed (knocked‐out) tooth in the following solutions §Hank's Balanced Salt Solution, egg white, coconut water or whole milk. §If none of these are available, store in the injured person's saliva (not in the mouth). If the injury is not severe enough to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number, the victim should immediately see a dentist

What are the steps of removing a lodged object in a ear?

§If you can easily see and grasp the object, remove it. §Pull down on the earlobe, tilt the head to the side and gently shake or gently strike on the head on the affected side. Do not shake or strike the head of an infant or toddler. If the object cannot be removed, the victim should seek more advanced medical care

If a object is with a nostril, whats steps should you take?

§Look into the nostril. §If you can easily grasp the object, while wearing disposable gloves, then do so. §If the object cannot be removed easily, the victim should receive advanced medical care.

What are the step to remove an embedded object from the cheek?

§Remove the object by pulling it out in the same direction it entered. Fold or roll several dressings and place them inside the mouth. Do not obstruct the airway §Apply dressings. §Place the victim in a seated position, leaning slightly forward. §As with any serious bleeding or embedded object, call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

What are the steps to care for a lower back injury?

■Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number immediately if the victim has any of the following signals: Numbness or tingling in any extremity Difficulty moving Loss of bladder or bowel control ■These signals indicate possible damage to the spinal cord. ■Wait for EMS personnel to arrive. Keep the victim warm and quiet

How do you care for a mouth, jaw or neck injurie?

■If you do not suspect a serious head, neck or back injury, place the victim in a seated position. ■For injuries that penetrate the lip— -Place a rolled dressing between the lip and the gum. -Place another dressing on the outer surface of the lip. You may apply ice or a cold pack to the lips

What are the step to treat an eye injury?

■Place the victim on his or her back. ■Do not attempt to remove any object. ■Stabilize any embedded object in place. ■Apply a bandage loosely. Seek immediate medical attention