additional movement may cause further damage to the spine. EMT's must always

immobilize the patient's head and torso in the position found. The purpose of an EMT is

to prevent further harm to the patient until more professional medical help can be

obtained. If in doubt about whether a person has received a spinal injury, always assume

he or she has. A spinal cord injury (SCI) is very serious because it can mean the loss of

sensation and function in the parts of the body below the site of the injury.

SCI's are caused in many different ways. Some of the most common ways a

person may obtain a SCI are- motor vehicle accidents, bullet or stab wound, diving

accidents, electric shock, awkward positioning of the body, falls, sports injuries (such as

football or diving), industrial accidents, assault and gunshot wounds. Polio, Spina Bifida

and Friedreich's Ataxia are some of the frequent diseases that cause SCI. SCI may also be

know in other names such as spinal cord compression (SCC) and spinal cord trauma

(SCT). According to an article in , SCI's occur in approximately 12,000 to 15,000 people

per year in the U.S. About 10,000 of these peo

of the rest die as a result of their injuries. Most spinal cord trauma occurs to young,

and sensory nerves outside the central nervous system make up the Peripheral Nervous

the initial SCI. Pneumonia, Atelectasis and Aspiration are the injuries above the T-4 level

and organs to the brain. The motor portions of the LMN send messages from the brain to

Rings of bone called vertebra surround the spinal cord, and these bones make up

Safety practices during work and recreation can prevent many SCI's. Use proper

can be divided into two types of injury- complete and incomplete. A complete injury

ple are permanently paralyzed, and many

the other. With the advances in treatment of SCI, incomplete injuries are becoming more

Some common words found in the essay are:
SCT According, Heterotopic Ossification, Lumbar Vertebra, Technician EMT, Individuals SCI, Systems Rings, Injuries C-4, Osteoporosis Fractures, Thoracic Vertebra, Spinal Cord, spinal cord, level injury, march 2000, spinal cord injury, cord injury, spinal cord trauma, 15 march, spinal column, nervous system, cord trauma, spinal nerves, blood pressure, 15 march 2000, central nervous system, abdominal muscle control,
Approximate Word count = 1290
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)