Trauma – HealthWasp https://healthwasp.com Information about health and clinical conditions Tue, 12 Mar 2019 17:48:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.2.15 https://healthwasp.com/wp-content/uploads/logo3.gif Trauma – HealthWasp https://healthwasp.com 32 32 Broken Jaw https://healthwasp.com/broken-jaw/ Thu, 07 Feb 2019 02:49:52 +0000 https://healthwasp.com/?p=186 A broken jaw, also called a mandibular fracture, is a common facial injury. It usually occurs because of a traumatic blow to the head, and is often associated with other facial trauma, like a broken nose (the only facial injury to occur more frequently than a broken jaw). About 40% of patients who suffer a […]

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A broken jaw, also called a mandibular fracture, is a common facial injury. It usually occurs because of a traumatic blow to the head, and is often associated with other facial trauma, like a broken nose (the only facial injury to occur more frequently than a broken jaw). About 40% of patients who suffer a broken jaw also have injuries to the neck, head, nose, and eyes. Over half of jawbone fractures occur on only one side of the jaw.

Symptoms

Symptoms will start to develop directly following some kind of trauma to the jaw. Obviously your jaw will be in severe pain. You may feel malocclusion, which is when your teeth do not fit together properly. You may have problems chewing food or speaking, and may be unable to open your jaw fully. You may also see swelling. Sometimes a broken jaw can cause nerve damage, which causes the lower lip or chin to be numb. This can lead to drooling and the inability to control the mouth and jaw. Inside the mouth there may be bleeding or bruising under the tongue. If the jawbone moves backward, there may even be a cut in the ear canal. A broken jaw also makes it very difficult to eat. Thus, you may lose weight, experience fatigue, and have a general feeling of weakness.

Causes

The common cause of a broken jaw is an injury to the face. This may happen from an assault or fight (getting punched in the jaw), from a motor vehicle accident, an industrial accident, or a sports injury. The majority of broken jaws occur in young adult males between the ages of 20 and 30. They can also be caused by an accidental fall, especially in adults who faint or in young children.

Prevention

The best way to prevent a broken jaw is to protect your face from injury. This requires wearing proper equipment when playing sports, such as a helmet when playing hockey or football and a face shield when playing basketball. This includes wearing a mouth guard during contact sports. They not only protect your teeth but also help protect against jaw fractures. It is also important to respect your opponents. Try to avoid hitting people in the face with your arm or shoulder, especially when playing hockey or football. Wearing the proper equipment and protecting yourself and others is the best way to prevent facial injuries such as a broken jaw. It is also important to wear seat belts and shoulder harnesses when driving. Buckling up correctly can help prevent facial injuries caused by dashboard impacts and other debris during car accidents. You also want to try and avoid fighting or physical conflicts, as a punch to your jaw could break it.

Treatment

If you think you may have broken your jaw, it is important to apply ice immediately. This will help control the swelling and numb the area, hopefully reducing the pain.

 You may also need a paper cup to spit blood into or catch drool. You will need to go to the ER to get immediate attention. The doctor will treat your broken jaw by repairing the break with fine screws and metal plates, or by realigning the fractured pieces of bone with wires. If any teeth were loosened or lost, or if fragments of bone have cut the skin, the doctor will most likely give you a prescription for an antibiotic to reduce pain and the risk of infection. The doctor will also give you a dietary plan to follow for a few weeks before your jaw heals enough to the point that you can eat solid foods again. In some instances, you may need surgery. MedlinePlus, which is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, has more information about treatment options.

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]]> Amnesia https://healthwasp.com/amnesia/ Wed, 06 Feb 2019 17:18:31 +0000 http://healthwasp.com/?p=66 Amnesia is the loss of memory, caused by disease, brain damage, or psychological trauma. It is usually permanent, but can be caused temporarily by the use of hypnotic drugs and various sedatives. Depending on the extent of damage that was caused, the memory may be either partially or totally lost. People who have amnesia can […]

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Amnesia is the loss of memory, caused by disease, brain damage, or psychological trauma. It is usually permanent, but can be caused temporarily by the use of hypnotic drugs and various sedatives. Depending on the extent of damage that was caused, the memory may be either partially or totally lost. People who have amnesia can generally recall immediate information, and sometimes can still form new memories. There is a severe reduction in the ability to retrieve old information however, as well as in the ability to learn new material. Sometimes a person may lose only a couple of months of memory, while others may have memory loss that extends back decades.

Symptoms

There are two main features of amnesia: the impaired ability to recall previously familiar information and past events (called retrograde amnesia), and the impaired ability to learn new information (known as anterograde amnesia). Most people who suffer from amnesia have difficulties with short-term memory. Deeply ingrained memories may be spared, while recent memories are more likely to be lost. For example, a person may be able to name past presidents, but forget what they had for breakfast in the morning. Sometimes this affects their ability to retain new information. Amnesia usually does not affect a person’s ability to write, speak, or communicate in any way, and people with amnesia usually understand that they have a memory disorder. Other symptoms of amnesia may include confusion or disorientation, false recollections (possibly made up of past memories misplaced in time, or completely invented), and neurological problems such as tremors or uncoordinated movements. Johns Hopkins Medicine offers more information on amnesia and its various symptoms.

Causes

There are three categories in which a person can acquire amnesia: head trauma, traumatic events, and physical deficiencies. Head trauma is a very broad range and it deals with any kind of active action or injury toward the brain which might cause amnesia. This includes hitting the head during a fall or car accident, or any kind of physical blow to the head that may damage the brain. Traumatic events are much more subjective. They depend entirely on the individual and what that person experiences. A traumatic event is an event where something is so distressing the mind decides to forget the event entirely rather than deal with the stress the event brings. This may include a violent car crash or disturbing childhood memory. Instead of dealing with the difficulties the particular event brings, the brain decides to block it off completely. Physical deficiencies are similar to head trauma, although they lean more toward passive physical issues as opposed to physical blows. Other possible causes of amnesia include brain inflammation, stroke, tumors in the areas of the brain that control memory, long-term alcohol abuse, and degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

Prevention

Amnesia is caused by some kind of damage to the brain. Thus, it is important to take steps to reduce the risk of brain injury. While driving, make sure to always wear a seat belt. When riding a bike or motorcycle, always wear a helmet. Seek immediate medical attention if you have any symptoms that suggest a brain aneurysm or stroke, and treat any infection right away to make sure it doesn’t spread to the brain. While some causes of amnesia cannot be prevented (such as experiencing traumatic events), the risk can be reduced by following proper safety measures.

Treatment

Unfortunately, there are no medications available at the moment for treating most types of amnesia. While some forms of amnesia fix themselves, others will never go away.

 Thus, individuals with amnesia need to develop ways to cope with memory loss. One of these ways is through occupational or cognitive therapy. Therapy will help patients develop any memory skills they might still have and try to regain some they may have lost. Amnesiacs do this through various techniques that help create new retrieval paths and retrieve memories. This includes implementing strategies for organizing information, such as using a digital device to keep track of day-to-day tasks. Low-tech memory aids like notebooks, photographs, and calendars can also help with memory.

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