First Aid Head, Neck, and Spine Injuries 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following mechanisms is most likely to cause a cervical spine injury?
- Twisting an ankle while running
- Diving headfirst into shallow water (Correct answer)
- Getting a minor cut on the hand
- Mild sunburn on the shoulders
Correct answer: Diving headfirst into shallow water
Diving into shallow water causes sudden forceful impact to the top of the skull, commonly resulting in cervical spine fractures.
Question 2: What is the correct manual stabilization technique when a spinal injury is suspected?
- Tilt the head back to open the airway
- Neutral, in-line stabilization of the head and neck (Correct answer)
- Turn the head to one side to prevent choking
- Lift the chin as high as possible
Correct answer: Neutral, in-line stabilization of the head and neck
Neutral, in-line stabilization prevents rotation or bending of the cervical spine that could cause or worsen spinal cord damage.
Question 3: Clear fluid leaking from a person's ear following a head injury most likely indicates what?
- A ruptured eardrum from loud noise
- A possible skull fracture (Correct answer)
- An acute ear infection
- A normal bodily response to head trauma
Correct answer: A possible skull fracture
Clear fluid leaking from the ear is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which strongly suggests a basilar skull fracture.
Question 4: What is 'Battle's sign' in the context of head trauma?
- A deep laceration on the forehead requiring stitches
- Bruising behind the ears indicating a skull fracture (Correct answer)
- A standardized concussion grading scale
- Swelling around the eye socket after blunt force
Correct answer: Bruising behind the ears indicating a skull fracture
Battle's sign is bruising over the mastoid process (behind the ear), which is a delayed indicator of a basilar skull fracture.
Question 5: If a head-injured person begins vomiting, how should you respond while maintaining spinal precautions?
- Give them water to prevent dehydration
- Log roll them onto their side as a unit (Correct answer)
- Apply firm pressure to the abdomen
- Immediately place them in a seated position
Correct answer: Log roll them onto their side as a unit
Log rolling maintains spinal alignment while allowing the airway to clear during vomiting, addressing both the spine and airway simultaneously.
Question 6: Which sign most strongly suggests increasing intracranial pressure following a head injury?
- Normal speech and purposeful movement
- One pupil significantly larger than the other (Correct answer)
- A mild headache that resolves with rest
- Feeling hungry shortly after the injury
Correct answer: One pupil significantly larger than the other
Unequal pupils (anisocoria) following head trauma can indicate brain herniation from dangerously elevated intracranial pressure.
Question 7: After a motorcycle accident, a bystander removes the rider's helmet. What must you do immediately?
- Nothing further; the helmet is no longer relevant
- Encourage the rider to lie down on their own
- Manually stabilize the head and neck to replace the helmet's support (Correct answer)
- Help the rider walk to the roadside
Correct answer: Manually stabilize the head and neck to replace the helmet's support
Once a helmet is removed, manual cervical stabilization is immediately required because the helmet had been providing structural support to the head and neck.
First Aid Head, Neck, and Spine Injuries 2
Which of the following mechanisms is most likely to cause a cervical spine injury?