ABOUT Injury

Injuries happen in life. Some serious, some not so serious. They can be because of athletics (football, boxing, skiing, etc.), falls, car accidents, even muggings. It is important to understand the dynamics so that you can evaluate the seriousness of the injury, and what to do about it.

Laceration (a tear or cutting wound)

A deep cut represents a routine form of wound healing. Tissue is damaged, so cells break and leak fluid into the surrounding area. Vessels break and seep blood into tissue. Blood normally clots to contain the seepage. Then inflammatory cells (mostly white cells, called macrophages) enter the area to gobble up and carry away tissue waste. Platelets are tiny cells that aid in clotting.

Eventually cells called fibroblasts move in to create a stable structure upon which cells can regenerate and re-form into new tissue. Sometimes, fibroblast development is very strong and cells do not re-form; this is called “scar tissue.”

When tissue is lacerated, it helps to take both sides and match them as closely as possible to their original alignment. In this way, fibroblasts can more efficiently recreate original structures. This is why we suture wounds; if this is not done, the alignment can be displaced and fibroblastic development leads to a mismatch – creating an ugly appearance.

The entire process of laceration healing can be accelerated covering the wound with sterile bandage or gauze in order to prevent infection from developing in the crevice. Ice can help reduce swelling. An eRemedy can help as well, which you can find at eremedyonline.com/module/15/bruising-wound/.

Bruising Wound = Contusion

Blunt trauma damages tissue in a similar way, but without direct laceration or tearing. Cells are damaged and leak. Blood vessels break into surrounding tissue. Central bleeding is red because of fresh blood. As blood seeps further away from the point of the blow, the older blood has a darker color because of non-oxygenated iron. This is why the central region can be red while the periphery is brown or purple or blue.

Otherwise healing proceeds in the same way. Fibroblasts regenerate structure. Macrophages clean up waste tissue. Neutrophils and monocytes fight infection and helpto regenerate new cells. This recovering layer is called “granulation tissue” because it looks granular if you were to reopen it to look at it.

This process is the same whether it is in skin or deeper organs.

Standard treatment can be described by the acronym RICE. R = rest, so as to not disrupt tissue reorganization and to minimize more swelling. I = ice, in order to reduce swelling while vessels heal up and stop leaking. C = compression, which accomplishes the same reduction in swelling and maintenance of tissue organization. E = elevation, in order to drain the swelling from the area. Gentle massage can help as well by encouraging new circulation with strong vessel walls to re-enter the area.

Again, some eRemedies are very effective in accelerating this healing process. They can be found at eremedyonline.com/module/15/bruising-wound/.

Sprains

Sprains are a related type of injury but mostly involve ligaments and tendons, the supporting structures of joints and muscles. There may be some aspect of blunt trauma as well. When connective tissue such as ligaments and tendons are stretched beyond their breaking point, there can be associated pain and swelling. This sets up surrounding inflammation similar to contusions and lacerations, but connective tissues have very limited circulation. For this reason healing is much slower.

Here is an example of a simple ankle sprain:

To treat such a sprain, first stop putting weight on the ankle. Next, immobilize the joint using elastic bandage or even a splint  in order to keep from increasing the separation of tissue. This also holds the fibers together so their own fibroblasts can re-establish normal structure. Meanwhile, ice is good to keep swelling down. Elevation helps for the same reason.

Sprains usually take 3 to 6 wks to fully heal. After the first 24 hrs, you can stop using ice and begin applying heat for 20 minutes 4 times a day or so. This draws circulation to the area in order to help the connective tissue heal. Of course, if the tear is complete, it may need to be sutured surgically in order to create normal structure.

As I have said before, eRemedies are very effective in speeding up the healing process even while all the other aids are being used. You can find eRemedies using the expert system to individualize their selection at eremedyonline.com/module/15/bruising-wound/.

Dislocation

A more extreme injury occurs when a joint is dislocated. Joints, of course, are locations where 2 or 3 bones come together, while being held together by ligaments and muscles with tendons attached. The purpose of joints is to make a bend for the purpose of running or throwing or swinging. If there is a strong blow at just the correct angle, it can knock the bones out of alignment. This results in severe strain or even tearing of ligaments and sometimes muscles. The resulting pain and swelling can be extreme.

An example can be a knee dislocation from a football or equestrian or skiing injury:

When possible, the first approach should be to “reduce” the dislocation – putting the alignment back in place. In the knee, this may require surgical intervention. Shoulder dislocations, on the other hand, can be done by a skilled orthopedist or athletic trainer. Finger dislocations can be put back in place by almost anyone.

One caution about forcible dislocation reduction involves the possibility of fracture. If there is even a small piece of bone pulled apart, realigning the joint can dislodge the fracture.

After this, treatment is similar to sprain because connective tissues usually are actually sprained in the process of dislocation. Ice at first, then heat later. Keeping the joint rested and immobilized is useful.

eRemedies in this situation are relatively ineffective because of the dislocation. They can help with swelling, pain, and inflammation however. Go to eremedyonline.com/module/15/bruising-wound/.

Shock

Violent injuries can result in a state of shock. If it is a head injury, concussion can lead to coma. If the injury involves the torso, internal organs can be damaged, and you can bleed internally. Severe bleeding takes blood out of the circulatory system, a condition called “hypovolemia.” This means that there is not enough blood left to create adequate pressure to get circulation to the brain. At that point you collapse.

With such limited circulation, you might feel very cold, so people should provide blankets and warmth to encourage more circulation. Legs should be elevated above the level of the heart.

Obviously, getting to medical treatment is crucial. With severe shock, intravenous fluids may be required.

In this instance, eRemedies from eremedyonline.com/module/15/bruising-wound/ might help a bit. Especially they might help if the shock is from severity of pain or fright.