Falls Injury
Falls injuries can be serious, especially when they affect the head. People who have a history of falling can be particularly vulnerable to this type of injury.
If you fall, try not to move too much right afterward. Moving injured parts of your body too soon or in the wrong way can make things worse.
Cuts and abrasions
Cuts and abrasions are common injuries in falls. They may look minor and insignificant, but the medical and legal importance of these injuries should not be overlooked. Patients and relatives should receive education on how to properly care for simple abrasions caused by falls, including the proper cleaning and documentation of these injuries.
The type and extent of a wound depends on the fall victim's body position. Minor cuts or scrapes may only need to be washed with clean water and then covered with a light layer of antibiotic ointment.
Deeper wounds can include lacerations and puncture wounds. A laceration is a linear break in the skin of varying length and depth that can appear smooth or jagged. A puncture wound is a hole in the skin from contact with a sharp object such as a nail or broken glass. This type of wound is extremely dangerous and can cause serious internal damage to tendons, muscles and bones.
Broken bones or fractures
A fall can cause fractures in any bone in the body. Falls can break the bones of the wrist, arm, ankle, spine and pelvis. Typically, fractures occur when the force exerted on the bone is greater than it can withstand.
The severity of the fracture determines what treatment is required. Most fractures heal with a splint or cast, which immobilizes the bone, promotes healing and reduces pain and swelling. Other treatments include traction (a system of weights that slowly pulls shattered bones back into place) and surgical screws and plates.
If you suspect a broken bone, get medical help immediately. Stop any bleeding by pressing firmly on the wound and applying pressure to a splint (such as rolled up newspaper or strips of cloth) if available. Avoid trying to straighten a protruding bone unless trained in first aid. Assess the person’s circulation by pressing firmly on the skin beyond the area of the injury - the injured site should blanch white then turn pink.
Loss of consciousness
TBIs (traumatic brain injuries) from falls are common and can range from mild concussion to severe head trauma. They may cause headache, dizziness, irritability, fatigue and difficulty thinking. They can also be caused by penetrating or non-penetrating injuries such as blunt force trauma to the head, a gunshot wound or being ejected from a vehicle.
During impact, the soft brain crashes back and forth inside the skull, causing bruising, bleeding and tearing of nerve fibers. This can lead to confusion and amnesia, but a person does not need to lose consciousness for a TBI to occur.
MRI scans are used to detect a brain injury and can be used to determine the severity of the damage, including how well the brain is functioning. The Glasgow Coma Scale is a tool doctors use to determine the severity of an injury and how long it will take for the patient to recover. falls sensor alarm However, a study found that loss of consciousness was not as predictive of recovery time as other symptoms such as dizziness and headache.
Head injuries
A blow to the head can cause a range of injuries, from a minor bump to a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The severity of the TBI depends on how hard the impact was and whether the skull fractured or other bones were broken.
An open TBI occurs when a bullet, knife or other object passes through the skull and directly into the brain. These are called penetrating injuries.
Injuries to the brain can also swell and compress blood vessels, restricting the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the brain. This can lead to a brain bleed, called an epidural hematoma, or subarachnoid hemorrhage.
In severe head injuries, the person may need to stay in hospital for a short time to be monitored and treated if they are unresponsive. They may be given anti-seizure drugs to prevent seizures. It's important to keep an eye on the person if they have a head injury at home as well, especially when they are sleeping. They should be gently woken up every two hours and checked for symptoms such as swelling, nausea or vomiting.
