Standard First Aid, CPR, and AED Pre-Test Practice Exam

Spinal injuries disrupt the nerve signals between the brain and the rest of the body. When those signals are blocked or damaged, movement can be lost or impaired, and nerves that control breathing can be affected if the injury is high in the spine. That’s why signs involving the inability to move parts of the body and breathing problems are strong indicators of a spinal injury.

Fever with cough, a rash, or a headache by itself doesn’t point to a spinal injury; those symptoms are associated with infections, skin issues, or headaches rather than nerve or spine damage.