What happens if your neck is broken




















A lot of damage to your neck, spine, and the vertebrae may need surgery. Surgical procedures can:. Some surgeries may include using plates, screws, or wires. Our surgeons have experience finding the least painful and risky solution possible.

A fracture in your neck is scary and serious. You want to get care from the best. At UVA, you'll find specialists committed to finding the least risky and painful method possible. You can trust their experience and compassion. Overall recovery time depends on whether or not you have any permanent injuries. You may need to:. A neck fracture can sometimes result in spinal cord and nerve injury and paralysis. This may require major life changes, involving work, family, and social life.

Edits to original content made by Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice. In This Section.

Spinal injections may be used with steroids to reduce pain and inflammation. Radiofrequency Nerve Ablation. Radiofrequency nerve ablation RFA is when an electrical current produced by a radio wave heats up an area of nerve tissue. Caudal Epidural Injection. A caudal epidural injection is an injection into the spine to reduce pain and inflammation. Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are minimally invasive, low risk procedures.

We will respond to you within 24 hours or on the next working day, or please call Call me back. Contact me via email. Playing sports can contribute to neck injuries of varying degrees of severity ranging from relatively minor injuries such as muscle strains to severe life-threatening conditions such as neck fractures and cervical spinal cord injuries. A fractured broken neck is a very serious matter, but in many cases, the patient can make a full recovery and regain all neurological functions.

A neck fracture can sometimes lead to a complete spinal cord injury, which will result in some degree of paralysis or even death. While catastrophic cervical injuries do occur in sports, the incidence of fatal cases decreased in the last few decades due to better protective gear, increased awareness, better coaching, and rule changes.

Still, these injuries may occur in athletes who participate in contact sports such as American football, soccer, and rugby as well as non-contact sports such as gymnastics and cycling. Cervical injuries resulting from participation in sports can be divided into the following clinical syndromes:. The vertebral column or spine is a part of the axial skeleton and provides paramount structural support for our body.

The neck region houses the cervical portion of the spinal column, which consists of seven bones C1-C7 vertebrae , separated from one another by intervertebral discs. These discs allow the spine to move freely and act as shock absorbers during activity. Along with strong muscles, flexible tendons, and ligaments, the spine allows us to stand upright, bend, and twist. The spinal cord, a very vulnerable nervous tissue that connects the brain to the body, is located in the middle of the cervical spine, protected by bony vertebral structures.

The cervical spine functions to support the weight of the head and to provide flexibility for performing an extensive range of motions with our head.

The movement of our head is possible due to the specialization of the first two vertebrae C1 and C2 which connect directly with the skull. A cervical fracture is a break in one or more of the cervical bones or vertebrae in the neck. A cervical dislocation refers to a ligament injury in the neck that has caused two or more cervical vertebrae to abnormally separate from one another. A severe, sudden twist to the neck or a severe blow to the head or neck area can cause a neck fracture.

Sports involving violent physical contact carry a greater risk of a neck fracture, including football, ice hockey, rugby, and wrestling. Spearing an opponent in football or rugby can cause a broken neck and so can non-contact activities like gymnastics, if the gymnast misses the high bar during a release and falls. The cervical spine usually absorbs the energy of the collision by dissipating forces through the muscles, the intervertebral discs and the bones along the C-spine curve.

However, when the neck is flexed such as in spear tackling, the forces create an abnormal axial load on the support structures, which may lead to a tear in the ligaments or bone. Cervical spine injuries can range from subluxations and dislocations with or without neurologic symptoms to fractures with or without neurologic symptoms.

A person with a neck injury should not be moved without competent medical care, which should be summoned immediately. This is extremely important because proper stability of the cervical spine is crucial to avoid causing any further damage.



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