• Problems with spine trauma can vary from a back sprained when lifting, through to permanent paralysis as a result of transection of the cord.
  
• Most serious spinal injuries are avoidable. Tougher safety regulations in heavy industries like mining, compulsory seat belts, roll-over bars on tractors and stricter rules in sport have all contributed to a dramatic fall in the number of these injuries in the developed world.
  
• All unconscious patients and any patient involved in a high energy accident should be assumed to have a spinal injury until otherwise proven. These cases are therefore best transferred to hospital on a spine board with extra protection for the cervical spine.

Most people will experience backache at least once in their life as a result of trauma. After the initial injury the bulk of the pain is thought to come from muscle spasm, so any method that can break the vicious cycle of spasm causing pain which causes further spasm, will bring symptomatic relief. This could involve physiotherapy and/or the use of simple analgesics such as paracetamol with ibuprofen. Alternative medicine such as osteopathy, chiropractic and acupuncture can all help by reducing the pain arising from muscle spasm.

This is a little understood but very common condition in the neck and back of patients who have suffered spinal trauma. The classic presentation is following a car crash where the patient has been struck from behind and the neck has presumably been first hyperextended and then hyperflexed by the energy of the impact. The condition can be late in onset and may affect the head (giving occipital headaches