At the time of a spinal cord injury, the medical professionals who treat you have to ensure that you are stabilized before they move on to other aspects of your care. This begins at the scene of the accident because the emergency responders have to be sure that your spine is immobilized, that you are breathing and that you have an adequate blood pressure.
Once they do these, you will be brought to an emergency room or trauma center. There are a lot of things that will happen when you get there. You will undergo further stabilization, which might even include being placed on a ventilator to breathe for you if your injury was high enough on the spine to impact your breathing. You will likely also have imaging tests so the treatment team can see what is going on with your spine.
Another primary consideration in the days immediately following the accident is minimizing the impact of spinal shock. When your spine is injured, it tips off a chain of events that includes your body releasing toxins to try to address the injury. The issue is that these toxins can irreparably affect the cells in the spinal cord, which can cause permanent damage.
There is a chance that you will have to be put in traction to lessen the subsequent damage on the spine. Medications might also be necessary. These can help control inflammation, pain and infection. The doctors will look at your case to determine what is appropriate for you. The ultimate goal is neuroprotection and improvement in abilities following the accident.
For pedestrians who suffer a spinal cord injury when they are struck by a vehicle, one course of action they might take is to seek compensation. This could address the financial concerns that come with this type of injury.
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