Keep the person warm with blankets to decrease the possibility of shock. Don't try to remove a helmet or other headgear. Use a stretcher or spineboard with sandbags or a cervical collar to immobilize the neck while transporting the injured person to an emergency facility. Do this only if you are trained in emergency medical assistance or if no help is available. The doctor will apply traction to manipulate the broken bones slowly back to their original position.
Traction lines up and holds the broken neck bones as close to their normal position as possible.
Manipulation should be done as soon as possible after injury. Six or more hours after the fracture, bleeding and loss of body fluids may lead to shock. Also, many tissues lose their elasticity and become difficult to return to a normal position. Immobilization will be necessary. The best method must be determined by your doctor based on your age, sex and the possibility of spinal-cord injury.