The news about the Huntington Beach lifeguard’s spinal injury has made people furious. Elizabeth Lovat, an Orange County lifeguard, was taken to the hospital on Monday, 3rd July, after suffering a spinal injury while on duty.
According to city officials, Elizabeth Lovat was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital, where she is presently in a stable but critical condition. Authorities stated that she was not actively engaged in rescue at the time of the accident.
Huntington Beach Lifeguard Spinal Injury: What Actually Happened?
The officials have not specified what exactly happened to Lovat.
The city of Huntington Beach posted on its official Twitter handle:
“Our priority at this time is to provide support for Elizabeth and her family while she recovers.”
Most spine injuries are “associated with diving head first and hitting the bottom,”claims the California Surf Lifesaving Assn., a nonprofit organization that raises awareness of beach safety. For the sufferer, parents, friends, and even rescuers, the injuries “can have severe lifelong consequences.”
The association observed that in addition to paralysis, bruises, discomfort or soreness in the neck, difficulty breathing, weakness in the arms or legs, and numbness or tingling are indications of spinal cord injury.
How does spinal cord injury affect the body?
Depending on where and how severe the injury is, the repercussions of a spinal injury on the body can vary. The spinal cord is responsible for carrying messages from the brain to the rest of the body. These signals can be interfered with during spinal cord injury, which can cause a variety of physiological and neurological abnormalities.
Paralysis: Paralysis, which can be either partial (paraplegia) or total (quadriplegia/tetraplegia), is one of the most serious outcomes of spinal damage. While quadriplegia affects both the arms and legs, paraplegia often just affects the lower body, including the legs.
Sensation loss: Spinal injuries may also result in a loss or lessening of sensation. This implies that those who are affected can have trouble sensing touch, temperature, and pain in the affected locations.
Loss of motor function: Damage to the spinal cord can cause a loss of motor function, which can leave afflicted body parts completely immobile or with severely weakened muscles. Mobility and fine motor abilities may be impacted by this.
Respiratory complications: Depending on the severity of the spinal injury, breathing issues may arise. High-level injuries may compromise the respiratory muscles, necessitating possible ventilation support.
Blood pressure control: Spinal injuries may have an impact on the autonomic nerve system, which controls body activities. This may necessitate care because it can cause problems controlling blood pressure.
In late August, Lovat is expected to start her senior year of study in speech pathology. A spinal injury can be a serious issue. We wish Elizabeth Lovat a speedy recovery.
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