A patient with a spinal cord injury at T7 tells the nurse that they now...

Spinal cord injury

An x-ray of a spine Description automatically generated

A sudden and severe headache in a patient with a spinal cord injury at T7 could be a symptom of autonomic dysreflexia12. This condition is a potentially life-threatening medical emergency that can occur in individuals with spinal cord injuries above the T6 level12. It is most commonly triggered by an overfull bladder or a blocked catheter12. Therefore, the nurse should first check for bladder distension123.