A 43-year-old member asked:
how would you give cpr to someone who may have a broken neck?
4 doctor answers • 8 doctors weighed in
A Verified Doctor answered
A US doctor answered Learn more
See below: In someone with no pulse and no breathing, CPR takes priority over everything else, otherwise the person will die. If you suspect trauma to the neck there are techniques to administer CPR without moving the neck. This is discussed in every basic life support course which is a great thing to take.
5720 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Mark Gujer md fasa answered
Anesthesiology 26 years experience
If you have help: Have a second person merely place their hands on both sides of the victims head from the head end to stabilize the head and neck until help arrives. Do compression only CPR until ems rescue arrives.
5278 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Luke Hermann answered
Emergency Medicine 25 years experience
Yes: If someone needs cpr, they need it because their heart is not beating effectively. In this situation, without CPR they will die within minutes making the question of a broken neck irrelevant. If 2 people are present and there is concern for a neck / spine injury, one person can stabilize the head while the other performs chest compressions but regardless, CPR should be performed.
6330 viewsAnswered >2 years agoMerged
Dr. Vasu Brown answered
Integrative Medicine 34 years experience
Yes: Contrary to normal CPR do not lean head backwards.
6294 viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged
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Last updated Sep 28, 2016
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