Chest injury

Chest injury refers to any form of physical injury to the chest including the ribs, heart and lungs. Chest injuries account for 25% of all deaths from traumatic injury. Typically chest injuries are caused by blunt mechanisms such as motor vehicle collisions or penetrating mechanisms such as stabbings.

Types of Chest Injuries[edit | edit source]

Chest injuries can be classified as either blunt or penetrating.

Blunt Chest Injuries: These are usually caused by a sudden impact to the chest. They can result in rib fractures, lung contusions, and damage to major blood vessels.

Penetrating Chest Injuries: These are usually caused by a sharp object penetrating the chest, damaging the lungs, heart, or major blood vessels.

Symptoms[edit | edit source]

Symptoms of a chest injury can vary greatly depending on the severity and location of the injury. They can include:

Pain in the chest area
Difficulty breathing
Rapid heart rate
Low blood pressure
Coughing up blood

Diagnosis[edit | edit source]

Diagnosis of a chest injury usually involves a physical examination and imaging tests. These can include:

Chest X-ray: This can show fractures, lung contusions, and other injuries.
CT scan: This can provide a more detailed view of the chest, showing injuries to the lungs, heart, and blood vessels.

Treatment[edit | edit source]

Treatment for a chest injury depends on the severity and type of injury. It can include:

Pain management: This can involve medications to reduce pain.
Surgery: In severe cases, surgery may be needed to repair damage to the chest, lungs, heart, or blood vessels.

See Also[edit | edit source]

Chest injury Resources
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