Traumatic injuries happen when blunt, penetrating, or burn mechanisms impact the human body. Many of them take place as a result of car accidents, gunshot wounds, or sports injuries. Others happen when people fall or when they are hit by natural disasters. Also, plenty of physical injuries happens in what otherwise would be an innocent setting such as the home, the sidewalk, at work, in a store, or at school. Injuries happening in any of these places can range from minor to life-threatening.
Traumatic Injuries and Their Impact
Although any traumatic injury obviously affects the person who suffers it, leaving a long-lasting effect on them, it can also have a profound effect on their families and those who must take care of them on a daily basis.
Other than physical trauma, there is more about trauma that involves the emotional and psychological aspects. Understanding these effects on both survivors and caregivers is essential for providing comprehensive support and assistance in the journey to recovery. Seeking information and resources about trauma can empower individuals and families to better navigate the challenges and complexities associated with traumatic experiences.
What are the most common traumatic injuries?
Head Injuries
An injury of the head can take many forms. It may include broken skull bones, bleeding from or within the skull, and brain injury. They are classified according to their type or location as:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Skull fractures
- Concussions
- Swelling of the brain
- Epidural or subdural hematoma
- Intracerebral hemorrhage
Even when the injury is considered to be mild, symptoms such as dizziness and headaches can last up to a year. And when the injury is severe, recovery can take five or more years, and, in some cases, the consequences can last a lifetime.
Spinal Cord Injuries
An injury to the spinal cord can be the result of blunt trauma that fractures the spine, the spinal cord might be bruised or there may injuries to the ligaments. Spinal cords can also be injured through gunshots or through a stabbing. The recovery in these cases depends on what part of the body has been affected by the spine being injured and the consequences can range from slight weakness to a reduction of feeling to complete paralysis. If the injury is above the third cervical vertebrae, the individual may lose the ability to breathe
Lung Injuries
When a blunt or penetrating object such as a knife, a gunshot, or an automobile accident damages the lungs, besides a rib fracture or a contusion (bruise to the lung tissue), there are also other pulmonary complications that can arise, such as:
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary embolism
- Respiratory failure
- Lung contusions
- Hemothorax
- Pneumothorax
Recovery in these cases can be slow and riddled with complications and, in some cases, may lead to long-term effects or death.
Abdominal Injuries
The most prevalent injuries to the abdominal cavity include damage to the liver or spleen, although the pancreas, esophagus, and gastrointestinal tract may also be impacted. This trauma may be due to falls, car accidents, or sports injuries as well as gunshots or stab wounds. Injuries in this area cause perforations or tears to the internal organs or the contents of the organ may empty out into the abdominal cavity causing infections or the possibility of sepsis.
Don’t Let Your Injury Go Untreated
If you have been injured in an accident or for any other reason, you have a right to recover damages from whoever caused your injuries. Don’t waste time getting medical attention as soon as they happen. Then, talk to a personal injury attorney in San Diego who can give you the legal advice you need and help you with your claim.
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.