Question

In a car accident, a victim may have a spinal injury, what do you do?

a) Apply ice directly to the injury
b) Move the victim to a safer location
c) Keep the victim still and wait for medical help
d) Attempt to realign the spine

Answer 1

In case of a suspected spinal injury, the proper action is to keep the victim still and wait for medical assistance to arrive. Moving the person could cause further damage, potentially leading to paralysis or worse. The spinal cord's critical role in bodily functions necessitates careful handling of any suspected injuries.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the unfortunate event of a car accident where a victim may have a spinal injury, the correct course of action is to c) Keep the victim still and wait for medical help. It is vital to keep the person very still, call 911 or your local emergency medical assistance number, and prevent the head and neck from moving by using heavy towels or holding them steady. It is also important to provide basic first aid, such as stopping any bleeding and making the person comfortable, without moving their spine until professional help arrives.

Injuries to the spinal cord are extremely severe because the spinal cord serves as the channel through which the brain communicates with the rest of the body. If it is damaged, this can lead to paralysis, which may be total or partial depending on the injury's location on the spinal cord. Thus, moving an injured person incorrectly can result in permanent damage such as paralysis or even death.