Spinal Injury

A person that has an injury above the collar bone or a head injury should be suspected of having a neck or head injury with spinal cord damage. Spinal cord injury may be indicated by a lack of responses to stimuli, stomach distention (enlargement), or penile erection.

Lack of Responses to Stimuli

Starting with the feet, use a sharp pointed object—A sharp stick or something similar, and prick the casualty lightly while observing his face. If the casualty blinks or frowns, this indicates that he has feeling and may not have an injury to the spinal cord.

If you observe no response in the casualty's refl exes after pricking upwards toward the chest region, you must use extreme caution and treat the casualty for an injured spinal cord.

Stomach Distention (enlargement)

Observe the casualty's chest and stomach.
If the stomach is distended (enlarged) when the casualty takes a breath and the chest moves slightly, the casualty may have a spinal injury and must be treated accordingly.

Penile Erection

A male casualty may have a penile erection, an indication of a spinal injury.

WARNING! Suspect any casualty who has a severe head injury or who is unconscious as possibly having a broken neck or a spinal cord injury! It is better to treat conservatively and assume that the neck/spinal cord is injured rather than to chance further injuring the casualty.