Injury is a general term that refers to harm or damage caused by an external force. Injury can occur to any part of the body, including the bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, nerves, and internal organs.
There are many different types of injuries. Some common examples include:
• Abrasions: Also called scrapes, these injuries occur when the skin is rubbed or scrapped against a rough surface. Abrasions usually involve only the top layer of skin (the epidermis) and do not typically result in serious harm. However, deeper abrasions that damage the second layer of skin (the dermis) can lead to infection and scarring.
• Lacerations: These injuries occur when the skin is cut or torn open. Like abrasions, lacerations may only involve the epidermis or may extend down into the dermis. Severe lacerations may require stitches or other medical treatment to close the wound and prevent infection.
• Contusions: Also called bruises, contusions happen when small blood vessels beneath the skin are damaged without breaking through to the surface. Blood leaks out of these damaged vessels and into nearby tissues, causing swelling and discoloration of the skin. Most contusions will resolve on their own within a few days or weeks; however, some may require medical intervention if they are large or cause significant pain/discomfort.
Injuries can also be classified based on their cause:
• Traumatic injuries are caused by an outside force such as a car accident, fall from a height, gunshot wound etc. These types of injuries often require emergency medical attention as they can be life-threatening. Internal bleeding (from ruptured blood vessels), organ damage ,and head injuries (including concussions) are all examples of traumatic injuries that may require hospitalization and/or surgery .
o Head Injuries-traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when an outside force causes damage to the brain tissue . TBI can range from mild (concussion) to severe (coma). Treatment for TBI depends on its severity but may include rest ,medication ,surgery ,and/or rehabilitation .
o Spinal Cord Injuries-damage to any part of the spinal cord or nerves at any level along your spine can result in paralysis below that point . The higher up on spine injury occurs ,the more function is affected below it .For example ,an injury at neck level would affect both arms and legs while an injury lower down would just affect legs . There is no cure for spinal cord damage but there are treatments available that can help improve function and quality of life .
o Burns-burns are classified according to their depth : first-degree burns only involve damage to outermost layer of skin ;second -degree burns involves damage to both outermost layer AND second layerof skin ; third -degree burns involves damage all layersof skin AND underlying tissue . Burns should always be treated by a medical professional as they have high risk for infection and complications .
-Thermal Burns-caused by contact with hot objects OR exposureto extreme heat sources such as flames ,steam ,hot liquids etc .
-Chemical Burns-caused by contact with corrosive materials suchas acids alkalis(bases) strong cleaning products solvents(paints thinner )etcBurns causedby electrical current also fall under this category even though thereis no direct chemical reaction involved
-Radiation Burns-causedby overexposureto ultraviolet radiation from sun OR artificial sources such astanning beds / booths
o Fractures–breaks in bonecan be classifiedaccordingto whether break goes all way through bone(complete fracture ) OR just partially through it (incomplete fracture ). Open fractures represent another type where broken bone protrudes throughskin while closed fractures don’t have this complication
-Complete Fracture–boneis completely shatteredinto 2 pieces
incomplete fracture–bone has cracksbut does not shatterinto 2 pieces
open fracture –broken boneprotrudes throughskin
closed fracture –no protrusionskin but still results in 2 piecesof bone
-Treatmentfor fractures typically includes immobilizationwith splintsor casts followed by physical therapy once healing has occurredenough that movement won’t disrupt process
• Overuse injuries often result from repetitive motions over time which put stress on certain body tissues beyond what they can handle resulting in microtrauma . This type oftissue damage accumulates over timewithout proper rest/recovery until eventually fullblown injury manifests itself Common examplesinclude tendonitis(inflammationoftendon ),stress fractures(tiny cracksin bone ),and bursitis(inflammationof fluid filled sacsthat act as cushions between bonesand muscles ). While treatmentfor overuse injuriestypically focuses on restingaffected area so it can healproperly ,antiinflammatory medicationmay also be prescribedto help manage pain/swelling