Spine/neck injury question?

Can you seriously injure yourspine/neck by picking someone up? Like, if they have you in the headlock, they arent holding on tight to your neck, but you grab them by the legs, still bent over in the headlock, and lift them up, start to strain, bend down, then lift them up the rest of the way? Could that make a serious injury? My doctor did pushin and proddin askin if this or that hurt, after that asked a couple questions, then said it was muscle strain. But im just curious as to if she may have been wrong, lol, because im OCD about my health. Just let me know. :-)

Yes, it is possible to seriously injure the cervical spine -- that portion of the spine running from the head to the trunk -- by improper lifting.

Typically, a serious cervical spine injury, including bulging or herniated discs, will manifest itself by causing numbness or tingling in the arms, hands, or even in the legs or feet, depending on the location of the injury.

A "pop" or crunching noise in the neck is almost never heard when this type of injury occurs, and, while simple muscle strain of the neck muscles may cause neck pain, disc and nerve problems of the neck seldom cause pain in the neck. As mentioned the pain usually occurs in the nerve paths to the extremities.

Serious neck injuries can also cause severe headaches,blackouts, loss of motor skills, inability to walk in a straight line, varying amounts of paralysis, loss of bowel or bladder control and inability to have an erection.

If you have acute pain in the neck region, odds are good that it stems from just what your doctor mentioned. However, if you are having numbness and/or tingling in other regions since the incident, there is a chance that you may have done some damage to the cervical spine.

An orthopedic surgeon specializing in cervical spines or a neurosurgeon also specializing in cervical spines should be the next professional on your consult list if you suspect the muscle strain diagnosis is incorrect.

No, she is probably correct, if you didnt hear a pop or snap your spine is probably fine. Trust her, she probably know what she is talking about!

im sure she diagnosed you right but there is nothing wrong with you taking good care of your body and being aware of any changes,freak accidents can happen they need to be dealt with/take good care of your body i have to take 800ccs of botox every 3 mths because my left side was paralyzed and the shots keep me walking there is nothing wrong with taking care of your body after all its the only one you have.....good luck

Yes, you can seriously hurt yourself doing this.

HOWEVER - You have done EXACTLY the right thing in seeking proper medical attention.

Your Doctor is almost certainly correct in saying it is just muscle strain. I believe she will have been checking for any vertebra out of alignment, any grinding of bones as you move your neck.

It is the position of your head when it hurts, the type of pain you feel and where the pain is, that points to muscle strain.

You will feel pain in the damaged muscle as it is stretched. Spinal damage will be a pain in the area of the spine that is injured.

If you are still unsure your Doctor has got it right, you should ask for a second opinion to set your mind at ease. Your Doctor is almost certainly correct though - I just cannot be sure without examining you myself!

I hope this help you rest a little easier.