Emergency cases are no joke. Sometimes, these situations end up with a life or lives lost, especially when spinal cord injury is involved. And if you have no knowledge handling such cases, it is better to stand on the sidelines and leave everything to the professionals. But what if no knowledgeable and skilled person is available to help out? When this happens, you need your first aid kit and basic medical knowledge so you can keep the victim alive and not add insult to injury.
Now, what first aid supplies and emergency procedures should you be aware of in order to be of help, even for just a short time until emergency medical personnel arrives?
Emergency Cases with Suspected Spinal Cord Injury
A suspected spinal injury in an emergency case requires a different approach and specific handling compared to those without such suspicion. These cases also need specific equipment such as the spine board when transporting patients. This is because the spinal cord is a very sensitive and important organ and damage to it can lead to very serious consequences, one of which is paralysis, which is why you need to know when to suspect it.
If you want to help out during these situations, you need to know the signs and symptoms of spinal injury such as head injury, altered level of consciousness, severe pain on the head or back, and weakness or lack of control over extremities, bladder or bowels.
And here are some tips on taking care of victims with this kind of injury.
- Do not move the victim!
- Immediately call 911 and keep the patient still, making sure no one moves him.
- Do not move the head or neck. Place rolled towels on both sides to ensure immobility.
- Use your first aid kit to check and establish an airway, breathing, and circulation while keeping the patient still.
When emergency medical personnel arrives, they will transport the victim to the nearest medical facility right away with the help of a stretcher with spider strap, spine board, and other specific devices.
A wheelchair is not recommended for transferring the patient since he is required to stay still. Permanent paralysis might ensue if it is used.
You can now leave everything in the hands of the emergency response team as soon as they arrive. And your efforts as keeping the victim safe will be greatly appreciated.
It is definitely helpful if you have this kind of knowledge and you can save someone’s life. Even more so when you have the necessary equipment on hand that you can use right away.
And if you need to get such supplies, just visit Philippine Medical Supplies and you will find what you are looking for. Check out their website today!
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