Serious Warning Signs Of A Spinal Cord Injury

Difficulty Breathing

Patients who have difficulty breathing after an injury should be seen in an emergency room immediately. Patients with breathing trouble may gasp for air, and they could feel very short of breath or feel tightness in the chest. Paramedics will check the patient's oxygen saturation rate, and supplemental oxygen will be administered through an oxygen mask placed over the nose and mouth. To investigate the patient's breathing difficulties, doctors will listen to the lungs with a stethoscope. This will help them understand whether the patient's breath sounds are clear and equal on both sides, and further tests will be performed if there are abnormalities. Detailed scans are completed at the hospital to determine the source of the breathing issues. Depending on the scan results, some patients may need to be taken for emergency surgery, and intravenous medications may be needed as well. Some patients will need mechanical ventilation. Breathing difficulties are especially likely to occur with injuries to the cervical spine (C1-C8).

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