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Traumatic shock is a group of systemic disorders resulting from trauma, the strength of which exceeds the limits of the body’s compensatory capacity.
Traumatic shock – characteristics
Traumatic shock is characterized by a reduction in blood pressure due to a reduction in the volume of circulating blood or plasma to an extent that minimizes blood flow through the capillaries and consequently leads to insufficient tissue oxygenation. There is a general breakdown of the body’s vital forces.
The most common causes of traumatic shock include:
- profuse haemorrhage from wounds and internal damage,
- severe injuries, e.g. crush injuries, accompanied by a large loss of blood and plasma into the tissues,
- fractures of long bones, especially the femur (the mechanism of blood and plasma loss is in these cases similar to crushing),
- extensive burns with plasma loss.
Traumatic shock – symptoms
There is no single characteristic symptom of shock. It is the most common symptom complex.
- The patient remains conscious in the initial period of the shock, he may be excited immediately after the injury, but a little later he becomes dull, indifferent, and is not interested in his fate and surroundings.
- The skin is pale, bluish and cool, often covered with sweat, and the heart rate is fast, almost imperceptible.
- Blood pressure drops rapidly. As blood pressure drops, the pupils may dilate and become less responsive to light as a result of ischemia and insufficient oxygenation of the brain.
Note: Shock is a medical emergency. You must act quickly.
Management of traumatic shocks
At the scene of the accident:
- provide the patient with complete peace of mind,
- lay the patient flat with the head low, or raise the lower limbs,
- not to move the sick person unnecessarily,
- place the unconscious patient in the recovery position,
- provide first aid in an appropriate manner, including the control of possible external haemorrhage, application of a dressing and immobilization,
- protect the patient against heat loss,
- call an ambulance, and preferably a resuscitation ambulance (R) to transport the patient to the nearest hospital.
The resuscitation ambulance physician can initiate shock treatment at the scene of the accident and continue treatment during the patient’s transport to the hospital. In addition, it can effectively relieve pain by intravenous administration of painkillers and start intravenous infusion of blood substitutes (drip connection).
In a patient with shock, it is much more important to perform the above-mentioned procedures at the scene of the accident than just rush to transport. On the other hand, the success of treatment in this period is usually determined not by the speed of the vehicle, but by properly provided first aid at the scene of the accident.