You are working with your patient with a spinal cord injury on a tilt table and the patient complains of onset of headache accompanied by flushing and "goose bumps." Your response would be to:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient is experiencing symptoms of autonomic dysreflexia, a potentially life-threatening condition in patients with spinal cord injuries at or above the level of T6. The first step is to check for the cause, which could be a kink in the catheter or the need for the patient to be upright. The patient should be positioned upright if possible or the cause of the dysreflexia should be identified and treated. Continuing treatment without addressing the symptoms could exacerbate the situation. Lying the patient flat or encouraging arm movement would not address the cause of the autonomic dysreflexia.

You Are Working with Your Patient with a Spinal Cord