Realities of Internal Injuries
You may have been in an auto accident in which your chest or stomach plunged into the steering wheel or dash board. Although you may feel lucky to be alive, you are in pain, having trouble breathing, feeling lightheaded, and don't know what's wrong. The force of a car accident can cause many different injuries to occur; for example, when your chest or stomach is hit in an impact, injuries to internal organs can take place.
Examples of internal organs which can be injured include:
- Liver
- Kidney
- Spleen
- Lungs
- Intestines
- Heart
- Pancreas
The impact can also cause a broken rib. When a rib breaks, it can puncture an organ and cause a ruptured spleen, lung, or other injury that could require extensive surgery. When internal injuries happen due to the force of a crash, a victim may sustain lifelong disabilities in severe cases.
Some common yet serious internal injuries that victims of car crashes sustain include:
- Rupture of the Spleen. A strong and forceful blow to the lower left rib in a car accident can result in a splenic rupture. When this happens, severe internal bleeding can occur and generally requires a spleen removal. Unfortunately, victims of car accidents have died from ruptured spleens.
- Rupture of Abdominal Aorta. When blunt trauma and severe compression to the stomach occurs, the aorta may rupture. This internal injury is often fatal.
- Liver and Kidney Damage. When internal organs, such as the liver and kidneys are injured, internal bleeding can occur.
It may be hard to diagnose yourself after an Atlanta car accident, which is why it is always critical to see a doctor or visit the emergency room as soon as possible.
Because internal bleeding after a crash is an actual reality, you need to know the symptoms to watch out for, which include:
- Fatigue
- Abdominal pain
- Lightheadedness
- Thirst
- Paleness
- Feeling cold
Ultrasounds, blood tests, and imaging tests should be conducted if there is a concern about bleeding internally. In some cases, when a victim is catastrophically injured and is ill from internal bleeding, doctors may need to perform emergency surgery to stop the bleeding and repair the damage. In extreme cases, when victims have sustained catastrophic chest and abdominal injuries, they may be at risk for bleeding to death.
