You should
always seek medical treatment after blunt
force head trauma. Traumatic brain injuries can cause serious problems — even death — if left untreated.
What happens during blunt force trauma?
Blunt force trauma can often lead to
bruising and blood clots
. Bruising occurs when the blood vessels on the surface of the soft tissue of skin are broken, typically resulting in a temporary discoloration of the skin.
What is blunt force trauma?
Blunt trauma, also called non-penetrating trauma or blunt force trauma, is
an injury to the body caused by forceful impact, injury, or physical attack with a dull object or surface
. It is in contrast to penetrating trauma, in which an object or surface pierces the body, causing an open wound.
How long does blunt force trauma last?
For a mild strain, you may be able to return to normal activities within
three to six weeks
with basic home care. For more severe strains, recovery can take several months. In severe cases, surgical repair and physical therapy may be necessary. With proper treatment, most people recover completely.
Which organ is most likely to be injured blunt trauma?
Blunt abdominal trauma usually results from motor vehicle collisions (MVCs), assaults, recreational accidents, or falls. The most commonly injured organs are the
spleen, liver, retroperitoneum, small bowel, kidneys
(see the image below), bladder, colorectum, diaphragm, and pancreas.
What does blunt force trauma feel like?
The blunt object may be a bat, wrench, hammer, floor, dashboard, etc. The typical signs of blunt force trauma include lacerated major blood vessels or aorta, lacerated or crushed organs, hematoma, crushed or severed spinal cord or fractures of the skull.
What are examples of blunt force injuries?
- Car accidents, when rapid deceleration pushes the body into the dashboard, steering wheel, or seatbelt.
- Collision between a pedestrian or bicyclist and a motor vehicle.
- Contact collisions in sports.
- Physical assaults, such as a punch to the body.
- Falls, especially from a great height.
How are blunt force injuries different from sharp force injuries?
From a forensic perspective, it is important to use the correct terminology when describing wounds. Lacerations are caused by blunt-force trauma. The hallmark of lacerations is the presence of tissue bridging.
Incised wounds are caused by sharp
-force trauma, usually by a sharp-edged object.
What happens if you hit the back of your head?
A hard blow to the head can shake your brain inside the skull. The result:
bruises, broken blood vessels, or nerve damage to the brain
. A hard hit that doesn’t cause bleeding or an opening in your skull could be a closed brain injury. An open brain injury is when an object penetrates the skull and goes into your brain.
How does blunt trauma affect the brain?
The long-term effects caused by traumatic brain injury may include
speech and language problems, chronic headaches, changes or loss of vision, taste or smell and coma
. The damage can be worsened by internal bleeding of the brain.
Should you massage a bruise?
Don’t massage or rub the injury
because you can break more blood vessels in the process. Instead, give yourself time for the pain and swelling to subside and apply ice immediately and as needed.
Which complication is most likely to occur in blunt trauma of the abdomen?
Spleen
is the most common cause of massive bleeding in blunt abdominal trauma to a solid organ. Spleen is the most commonly injured organ. A laceration of the spleen may be associated with hematoma. Because of the spleen’s ability to bleed profusely, a ruptured spleen can be life-threatening, resulting in shock.
What does obvious signs of trauma mean?
Trauma often manifests physically as well as emotionally. Some common physical signs of trauma include
paleness, lethargy, fatigue, poor concentration and a racing heartbeat
. The victim may have anxiety or panic attacks and be unable to cope in certain circumstances.
What are the five most reliable signs & symptoms of blunt abdominal trauma?
- Pain.
- Tenderness.
- Gastrointestinal hemorrhage.
- Hypovolemia.
- Evidence of peritoneal irritation.
Why is blunt abdominal trauma considered lethal?
Blunt and penetrating abdominal trauma are major causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States, particularly because it
can be very difficult to recognize clear symptoms early
. In blunt force abdominal trauma, the spleen and liver are the most commonly injured organs, with a mortality rate of roughly 8.5%.
Why is the abdominopelvic cavity vulnerable to damage?
Pediatric abdomen is more susceptible to abdominal trauma
because of decreased musculature and fat
, as well as more exposed solid organs and bladder. Abdominal trauma is the most common unrecognized cause of fatal injuries.
