Chest bruise: treatment, symptoms, warning

Trauma to the chest can be safely attributed to the most dangerous damage, because it closes the vital organs - the heart and lungs. Therefore, with such injuries as a bruised chest, treatment is simply necessary, delay can threaten the patient's death.

Treatment of chest contusion with fractured ribs

A bruised chest can have very different consequences. At best, everything costs a broken rib, at worst - in addition to this damage to the heart and lungs. Consider these situations in order.

For a start, we'll figure out how to treat a bruised chest injury, in which there is no damage to the internal organs. Determine whether ribs are broken and which ones, you can by such symptoms. In the place of fracture, sensitivity and swelling are observed, breathing becomes superficial, and with deep breathing and movement, severe pain is felt. Especially dangerous is the fracture of several ribs located side by side - the so-called "dangling ribs". Its sign is not only cyanotic skin, but abnormal movements of the chest (with inspiration it moves inside, and when exhaled - outward). First of all, remove the clothes from the victim in order to facilitate his breathing. Seat it (semi-sitting position) and make a supporting bandage (tie your arm to the trunk to immobilize the ribs). Call the ambulance. Do not forget to check the pulse and breathing of the victim before the arrival of doctors.

Help and treatment for heart and lung damage

Consider a bruise of the chest, the symptoms of which speak of lung damage. In this case, two types of injuries can occur: pneumothorax and hemothorax. Pneumothorax occurs when the rib punctures the lung during a fracture. In this case, air accumulates around the lungs. With open pneumothorax, the patient can observe severe shortness of breath, blue skin, severe pain, agitation, and rapid breathing. With tensor pneumothorax, there is an acute pain in the chest, cervical veins swell , and the pulse becomes faster. Hemotorax is called the accumulation of blood in the lungs. With it, shortness of breath and frequent breathing are accompanied by a cough with blood, bloody foamy sputum, darkening of the skin and severe sweating. This kind of injuries most often causes a shock with a bruised chest. In case of lung damage, you should closely monitor the pulse and breathing. In case of their disappearance it is necessary to resort to indirect massage of heart. A bruise with a lung injury is the bruise of the chest, the treatment of which is possible only in a hospital. First aid can only bring the patient in order for a short time. As for medical assistance, the problem is eliminated in various ways. With pneumothorax, a special tube from the thorax removes air and spreads the lungs. If this is a tensile pneumothorax, then before inserting the tube, a needle is introduced into the chest to reduce pressure. With hemothorax, the patient is intravenously injected with saline to prevent shock, a special tube removes blood from the chest cavity. With a large loss of blood, a transfusion is done.

Damage to the heart with a bruised chest contour is difficult to recognize. This requires careful monitoring in hospital settings - only in this way arrhythmia can be seen and shock prevented. This bruise of the chest, the treatment of which requires the use of oxygen and drugs, normalizing the work of the heart and eliminating heart failure.

Any injury is easier to prevent than treat. This also applies to an injury, such as a bruised chest, which can take a long time to heal. Of course, it is difficult to insure against such damages. But sometimes it's possible. For example, to avoid injury from car accidents, it is recommended that seatbelts be used even when traveling on short trips. Small children (up to 6 years) should be transported in special seats, not forgetting the restrictions on the weight of the child. And children between the ages of 6 and 8 are transported in the back seat. Take care of your health!