Neck injuries: urgent decisions and actions.
review · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 20086949.
- Also identified by DOI 10.3810/psm.1996.01.1196.
- No licence information is recorded for this record.
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Abstract
When a neck injury is suspected, the on-site physician must first provide basic trauma care, which includes establishing an airway as necessary, assessing breathing, and checking circulation and neurologic compromise. A few targeted questions during history taking and a directed physical exam will help rule out serious cervical injuries, which are uncommon. More common are minor injuries, such as "burners." Team physicians must also be well-versed in immobilizing and transporting the patient, administering a thorough neurologic exam, and establishing when the athlete can return to competition.