Causes of Personal Injuries

Personal injuries are accidents that cause body damage due to a person’s neglectful or reckless behavior. Personal injuries can be minor or severe. Minor injuries can be treated with basic first aid techniques, while severe injuries may require immediate medical attention.

They can result from:

• Head trauma
• Car or bicycle accidents
• Workplace accidents
• Slips or falls due to unsafe conditions
• Defective products
• Boat and airplane accidents
• Assault
• Sports injuries
• Construction accidents
• Medical malpractice
• During recreational activities, like biking
• Drowning
• Burns (electric, chemical, or thermal)
• Stings or bites
• Poisoning and chemical exposure
• Repetitive motions or overuse

Types of Personal Injuries

Some personal injuries can affect other preexisting medical conditions you may have, such as arthritis or sciatica. Injuries can result from blunt objects or sharp objects penetrating the body. Types of injuries include:

• Broken bones or fractures
• Sprains and strains
• Joint dislocations
• Burns
• Lacerations
• Abrasions
• Hematomas
• Bruises
• Disc damage
• Cartilage damage

Symptoms of Personal Injuries

Symptoms depend on the type and severity. Common symptoms include:

• Bleeding (mild, excessive, or uncontrollable)
• Pain (mild, moderate, or severe)
• Reduced mobility
• Bone deformity
• Joint swelling and tenderness
• Tissue swelling
• Cuts
• Blisters or red skin from burns

When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention

Seek immediate medical attention if you have the following life-threatening symptoms:

• Chest pain, palpitations, tightness, pressure
• Unconsciousness or unresponsiveness
• Uncontrolled or heavy bleeding (hemorrhages)
• Shortness of breath, wheezing or chocking
• Abnormal pupil size or nonreactivity to light
• Bleeding or abdominal trauma while pregnant
• Bluish coloration in the lips or fingernails
• Labored or difficulty breathing
• Vomiting blood or bloody stool
• Eye, head, neck, or back injuries
• Bone or joint deformity
• Weak or absent pulse
• Paralysis
• Severe pain
• Severe burn wounds

Personal Injury Treatment

Treatment depends on the severity and type of injury. Treatment options include:

• RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) helps relieve pain and inflammation.
• Medication such as oral or topical antibiotics to fight infections and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Steroid injections for pain relief can also help.
• Physical or occupational therapy improves strength, flexibility, and mobility, particularly for orthopedic injuries.
• Surgery for severe injuries to repair or remove damaged organs and tissues, stop bleeding and remove foreign objects. Surgeries may include spinal fusion, skin grafts, or joint replacement. Surgery is also recommended for severe burns, soft tissue injuries, fractures, internal organ damage, spinal cord injuries, or traumatic brain injuries.

Alternative Treatments

Your doctor may also recommend alternative treatments for pain relief, such as massage therapy, chiropractic care, or acupuncture. Depending on the injury, your doctor may suggest the following:

• Spinal cord stimulator
• Nerve blocks
• Sacroiliac joint steroid injections
• Radiofrequency ablation
• Facet joint injections
• Transforaminal epidural steroid injections

Personal Injury Prevention

To lower your risk of personal injury at home or work, use the following tips:

• Create space in your home or workplace by decluttering and removing hazardous objects or materials
• When driving, put your children in car seats, and don’t forget to strap up
• Obey traffic lights and observe traffic rules.
• Engage in regular exercises or physical activities to keep fit and strong.
• Use safety gear when operating machinery, such as safety goggles, earplugs, face shields, or hard hats.
• Ensure work tools and machinery are inspected and maintained regularly.
• Do not operate any new equipment or machinery without following manual instructions.
• Wear helmets when skating, riding motorbikes, or bicycles.
• Wear anti-slip shoes to avoid falls.
• Light up dark places to avoid trips and falls.
• Install handrails and use nonslip mats in the shower or bathtub.
• Avoid walking on wet, slippery floors.
• Maintain a good posture when sitting, standing, or sleeping.
• Clean up spills immediately to avoid falls.
• Bend your knees and hips to squat down instead of bending your back when picking heavy objects from the ground.
• Wear comfortable fitting shoes, especially in sporting activities.
• Keep away from places, people, or situations that might endanger you.

If you are looking for lasting solutions for pain relief after experiencing personal injuries, our team of different specialists at Axon Health Associates is ready to help. For more information, contact us today or schedule an appointment online.