How dangerous is the bruise of the chest and how to treat it?

A bruise is a kind of closed trauma that caused damage to soft tissues.

Traumas of the chest are possible due to accidents at work, fights and other criminal episodes, accidents, sports.

Chest bruise is one of the most dangerous injuries. The victim is subject to immediate hospitalization, regardless of the general condition. In a hospital, examinations are conducted to identify possible hidden trauma with a distorted or insufficiently obvious clinical picture.

It is not excluded and the gradual aggravation of the manifestation of the symptoms of trauma up to the stopping of breathing, traumatic shock and clinical death.

Causes

The risk of injury is largely dependent on the strength and angle of the injury, the traumatic agent, the localization and the area of ​​the injury.

When a moving object is injured, chest injuries are often accompanied by lung contusions, broken ribs, and damage to large blood vessels.

Among the frequent complications is hemothorax (hemorrhage into the pulmonary cavity or between the membranes of the lungs).

When you strike against a motionless object, in addition to lung damage, there may be trouble for the heart muscle.

Unrecognized on the background of chest injury heart injuries - the most common cause of death of victims during an accident. The defeat of the heart muscle can lead to rupture of the heart walls and traumatic myocardial infarction.

The chest contusion in women is often combined with concussions of the mammary glands and traumatic shock. The formed hematomas sometimes do not resolve, but are suppressed, transformed into fatty necrosis or abscesses.

In some cases, after injury in the tissues of the breast, the compaction persists, which can provoke the formation of malignant tumors.

Symptoms of a chest injury

Symptoms appear immediately after a traumatic effect. Among the most characteristic:

• sharp pain in the place of injury, increasing with inspiration, talking, coughing;
• shallow breathing, respiratory movements at the site of injury somewhat lag behind the general rhythm;
• swelling;
• hematoma.

Combined injuries can manifest other symptoms, for example, cyanosis of the lips, indicating a latent fracture of the rib and damage to the lung.

If the victim has a damaged pleura or lung, it may form subcutaneous emphysema, pneumo- or hemothorax-a life threatening condition.

Hemotoraxcall hemorrhage into the pleural cavity. The resulting clot obstructs breathing, with damage to large vessels, a significant loss of blood occurs, aggravating the patient's condition.

Pneumothoraxcalled the accumulation of air in the pleural cavity, causing compression of the lung. Traumatic pneumothorax is often characterized by the ability to build up and is an indication for hospitalization in the surgical department.

First aid with a chest injury

The tactics of first aid for mild bruises of the chest are similar to those for all such cases.

On the damaged site, a cold compress should be applied and thereby prevent the formation of edema and hematoma.

To limit the mobility of the ribs during breathing, a moderately tight pressure bandage should be applied, tying it on the unaffected side of the chest.

Cyanotic lips indicate hidden damage to the lungs. In this case, the victim should be transferred to a semi-sitting position and immediately call a doctor. With unbearable pain, the victim should be given an anesthetic, preferably from a group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but in their absence, analgin or baralgin is suitable.

In severe cases of a brisket injury, the symptoms of which indicate a combination of injuries, you may need a heart massage. This procedure requires special skills, otherwise it can aggravate the condition of the victim.

When breathing is weakened, it is necessary immediately to call an ambulance and to search among the witnesses of the incident for a medical doctor who has the skills of resuscitation.

Treatment

Treatment of lung contusions of the chest is carried out according to a scheme common to other parts of the body.

In the acute posttraumatic period, cold compresses are applied to the area of ​​injury to contain the development of edema and hematoma.

To relieve pain, the doctor prescribes pain medications, mostly from the NSAID group, which have an anti-inflammatory effect (nurofen, ibuprofen, indomethacin). Movements of the body should be limited as far as possible.

2 days after kurtosis, the injury site should be warmed up to activate blood circulation. During this period, the use of external agents, such as Finalgel, Fastum-gel, etc., is shown.

With extensive hematomas, the doctor can recommend a heparin ointment or other means that destroys microthrombi and promotes the restoration of normal blood circulation.

A week after the incident, the patient is prescribed a course of physiotherapeutic procedures.

In severe injuries and combined injuries, treatment is performed only in a hospital under the supervision of a doctor of the relevant specialty. The complex of medical measures is chosen individually, depending on the degree of severity and nature of the attendant troubles.

The use of traditional medicine is allowed only in mild cases and after agreement with the attending physician.

To quickly eliminate the consequences of injury, you can use alcohol tinctures from laurel, aira, oregano, coltsfoot and a number of other medicinal plants.

Due to close proximity to vital organs, any bruise of the chest is a good reason to immediately contact a medical facility for qualified help. Self-medication in this case can be deadly to the victim.