Neck Problems And Injuries: Emergencies

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Emergencies

• Neck pain that spreads from the chest area with other symptoms of a heart attack
• Severe neck injury, such as an injury caused by a:
  • Motor vehicle accident
  • Fall from a height of or more
  • Major sports-related injury
  • Direct blow to the head or neck
  • High-energy blow to the top of the head
  • Penetrating injury, such as a stab wound or gunshot wound
  • Strangulation
• Signs of a spinal cord injury:
  • New weakness or inability to move an arm or leg
  • New continuous numbness of one or both arms or legs
  • New loss of bowel or bladder control
• A decrease in level of consciousness:
  • Failure to respond to touch or voice
  • Extremely groggy, drowsy, or hard to wake up
  • Extremely confused or fighting
• Signs of shock:
  • In a child
  • In an adult and older child
• A rapidly forming swelling or lump in the throat that is causing any difficulty breathing:
  • In a child
  • In an adult and older child

Note:

If you think a spinal injury has occurred, do not move the person unless there is an immediate threat to his or her life, such as a fire. If there is immediate danger, keep the person's head and neck supported and in a straight line while you move him or her to a safe place. See first aid for a spinal injury.

Last updated:	August 28, 2007
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer