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Spinal Trauma

What is spinal trauma?

Spinal trauma refers to an injury to the spinal bones, discs, ligaments, or nerves, typically resulting from accidents such as falls, vehicle crashes, or sports injuries. These injuries range from minor fractures to severe spinal cord damage, requiring urgent and specialised care.

Symptoms

Signs of spinal trauma may include:

  • Severe back or neck pain
  • Numbness, tingling, or weakness in limbs
  • Loss of sensation or movement below injury level
  • Difficulty controlling bladder or bowels
  • Visible deformity or swelling around the spine

Causes

Spinal trauma usually results from:

  • High-impact accidents (car crashes, falls)
  • Sports-related injuries
  • Direct blows or penetrating injuries to the spine
  • Osteoporotic fractures in older adults

Diagnosis

Diagnosis involves:

  • Rapid clinical assessment focusing on neurological function
  • Urgent imaging including X-rays, CT, and MRI to identify fractures, dislocations, and soft tissue injury
  • Continuous monitoring for neurological changes

Treatment and Surgical Management

Emergency care initially focuses on stabilising the spine and preventing further injury. Surgical treatment may be necessary to:

  • Realign fractured or dislocated vertebrae
  • Decompress the spinal cord and nerves
  • Stabilise the spinal column with instrumentation and fusion