A fourteen month old infant wearing a neckbrace after sustaining a skull fracture, at the Children's Hospital of Orange County on September 23, 2007.A cervical collar (also neck brace) is an orthopedic piece of medical equipment used to support the cervical portion of a patient's spinal cord, and their head. It is also used by emergency medical services personnel for victims of traumatic head or neck injuries, [1] and can be used to treat chronic medical conditions.
Whenever patients have a traumatic head or neck injury, there is a danger of spinal cord injury, which could lead to paralysis or death. In order to prevent this, patients may have a collar placed by medical professionals.[2] The cervical collar only stabilizes the top 7 vertebrae, C1 through C7. Other immobilizing devices such as a Kendrick Extrication Device, or a backboard must be used in order to stabilize the remainder of the spinal column.[3] Additional testing such as X-rays will later determine if a cervical spine fracture exists. A common scenario for this injury would be a patient suspected of having whiplash due to a car accident.[4]
A cervical collar can also be therapeutic. It can help realign one's spinal cord and relieve pain,[5] though it is usually not worn for long periods of time.[6] Another use of the cervical collar is for strains, sprains or whiplash.[4][2] If pain is persistent, the collar might be required to remain attached to help in the healing process.[2][5] A patient might also need a cervical collar, or may require a halo to support their neck during recovery after surgeries such as cervical spinal fusion.[7]
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