Extensive soft tissue contusion, which is almost always inevitable in back injuries, is a very dangerous condition. If you do not provide adequate first aid, you should prepare for chronic pain and circulatory disorders. Treatment of a back injury at home should be carried out after consultation with a traumatologist. In some cases, the appointment of a neurologist, surgeon and orthopedist may also be required.
Classification of back injuries
Modern traumatology distinguishes the following types:
- Bruises that do not cause pinched nerves or damage to the spinal cord.
- Spinal cord injuries are the most dangerous and can lead to many he alth problems.
- Injuries that led to damage to the skin and soft tissues of the back.
- Bruises that affected only bone tissue, but not muscle tissue.
- Bruises of the back, which are accompanied by a dislocation or fracture of the vertebrae.
Each of these injuriescan cause serious he alth consequences. Vertebral fractures can leave a person disabled for the rest of their lives. Spinal cord injury can cause complete or partial paralysis.
Bruises that did not cause damage to the spinal cord
This is one of the safest injuries. You should feel the place of the bruise of the back for a tumor, inspect for the presence of a hematoma. If they have a place to be - the best remedy is cold. Applying ice or frozen meat to the bruised area is the best solution.
Should I contact a traumatologist if a back bruise after a fall did not bring any visible consequences? Yes, a professional examination is necessary as the following he alth problems are possible:
- kidney bruises (watch out for blood or pus in urine);
- rupture of organs (spleen, kidney, adrenal, bladder);
- rupture of blood vessels in the abdominal cavity, which will cause internal bleeding;
- cartilage injury;
- vertebral fractures;
- rib fractures.
Due to a strong shock, pain may not come immediately, but only develop over time. First aid in the form of applying ice to the bruised area will not help the state of the internal organs.
Spinal cord injury
How to determine if the spinal cord was damaged during a bruise? It is difficult to do this on your own. If, in addition to pain, there is loss of consciousness, nausea,vomiting, inappropriate behavior - it is necessary to take the patient for examination. You will most likely need an X-ray or an MRI.
In any case, if there was damage to the spinal cord during a fall, the consequences will not be long in coming:
- numbness in one or both feet;
- impaired muscle signal processing;
- cramps, ankle spasms;
- loss of sensation in one or more fingers;
- partial or complete paralysis;
- involuntary urination.
Even if a spinal cord injury is not diagnosed immediately, all these symptoms will prevent the sick person from leading a normal life. The ability to work will be impaired and in any case you will have to see a doctor.
Injury to the skin and soft tissues
These are relatively harmless consequences of a bruised back. Hematomas occur most often in the region of the thoracic spine. If the bruise fell on the lumbosacral region, hematomas can form on the sides and in the lower abdomen. S30.0 - this is the ICD code 10 for bruising of the back (its lower part) and pelvis. The main danger of this condition is the possibility of organ damage and internal bleeding.
First aid - apply cold. Pay attention to whether there is blood and pus in the excreted urine and feces. If available, you should immediately contact the emergency room, as internal bleeding may develop, which in some cases causes death.
Treatment of a back bruise due to a fall, whichdid not cause any serious he alth problems, involves the use of ointments, creams, compresses. It is undesirable to use products with red pepper in the composition, which cause a rush of blood to the site of injury. A list of the most effective ointments is presented below.
Dislocations and fractures of the vertebrae
Severe swelling at the site of injury, severe pain, numbness of the limbs and complete or partial paralysis - all these symptoms indicate a possible fracture or dislocation of the vertebrae. This is a very serious condition that requires immediate hospitalization.
In order not to delay doctors before rendering first aid, they should be briefly informed about the details of the bruise: from what height and at what angle the injury was received.
Bruised back ICD10 - S30.0. But the fracture will be marked with the code S32, which implies the receipt of the first group of disability. It is unacceptable to treat such conditions at home - you should definitely contact the first-aid post, and if the patient is immobilized, call an ambulance.
First aid
First aid algorithm for severe back injury:
- if the patient experiences a sharp pain - it is forbidden to touch him, turn him over, lay him down until the ambulance arrives;
- if the patient is able to move and walk on his own, ice or any other ice object should be applied to the injury site;
- at first it is forbidden to use warming ointments and compresses;
- can't domassage and press with force on the area of the back that has been injured;
- do not try to drag the patient from place to place if it hurts - this can aggravate the situation;
- try to call an ambulance as soon as possible or, if the bruise seems minor, go to the emergency room yourself.
When can you do without medical attention?
As mentioned above - a severe back injury can cause damage to internal organs, internal bleeding and death. So even if the bruise seems insignificant and the patient almost does not feel pain, you should check the condition of the internal organs just in case.
The least dangerous blows and bruises in the ribs and chest (although they can cause fractures of the ribs and injuries to the liver, spleen, pancreas).
The most dangerous are injuries of the lumbosacral region, where the spinal cord is located, if it is affected, complete or partial paralysis, and impaired functioning of the nervous system are possible. It will be difficult for a person without a medical education to determine on their own whether the spinal cord has been damaged. If, in addition to pain, there is loss of consciousness, nausea, vomiting, inappropriate behavior, the patient should be taken for examination.
Which doctor should I contact?
After examination, the traumatologist will most likely refer the patient for a consultation with specialized specialists. It can be an orthopedist, a surgeon, a neurologist. If you were hurtspine - you will need another vertebrologist. This doctor deals with the treatment of diseases and injuries of the spinal column. If the kidneys were damaged during the injury, you should contact a nephrologist or urologist. If the organs of the gastrointestinal tract were affected, you need to consult a gastroenterologist.
If the patient did not immediately go to the emergency room, and after one or two weeks, problems with well-being began, you should take an appointment ticket yourself.
What research is needed?
A bruised back from a fall is a serious injury. Most often, several studies are needed at once in order to assess the consequences.
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is a modern and safe research method. Allows you to assess the degree of damage to the spinal and bone marrow. MRI can be used to assess the state of muscle tissue. In some cases, according to the results of tomography, surgery should be performed. You can also capture the condition of the vessels in the picture.
- X-ray for back bruises is performed in several projections. A picture on one side is often not enough to compile an accurate clinical picture.
- CT (computed tomography) allows you to assess the condition of the bone tissue. If the spine was hurt or the patient is tormented by acute, unbearable pain, this study should be carried out. It is painless for the patient and does not carry any he alth consequences, unlike X-ray (during which the patient receives a dose of radiation).
Principles of treatment inat home
Seldom does anyone know how serious a back bruise can be in a fall. Home treatment may not be effective. Almost all patients do not attach much importance to such injuries, and then suffer the consequences of a bad fall for the rest of their lives.
- In case of severe pain after a back injury, painkillers can be used at home. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are best. For example, Solpadein. If the pain does not go away, more powerful injectable painkillers should be used. However, they are most commonly sold by prescription.
- In order to reduce swelling and minimize the formation of hematomas, ice should be applied to the injury site. Any frozen meat products are also effective in this regard - it thaws for a long time, and cold therapy can be arranged for twenty to thirty minutes.
- Use ointments, creams and compresses. The most effective are listed below. In order to prevent complications, it is not recommended to use products with a warming effect in the first three days after the injury.
Using ointments, creams and compresses
Recipes for homemade compresses for back bruises:
- Boil green beans. Grind in a blender or just with a knife until a homogeneous consistency. Lubricate the sore spot, fix with a bandage, wash off in the morning.
- Mix 120 ml of 6% vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of table s alt. Soak a cotton cloth in the solutionand put on the damaged area for half an hour.
- Pour 100 g of hop cones 0.4 l of vodka, insist. Use as a disinfectant or compress solution.
Pharmaceutical ointments with anticoagulation effect are effective. It is impossible to allow delays and accumulation of blood in the subcutaneous fat and muscle tissue. Turpentine and heparin ointments, "Badyaga Plus", "Finalgon" - all these funds are effective in reducing swelling of the site of injury and reducing pain.
How to treat a bruised back if there is severe pain with every movement? Most likely, the vertebrae were damaged and at home you can only aggravate the patient's condition. You should immediately go to the emergency room.
Restrictions and rules to follow after a back injury
Forbidden for a month:
- lift weights over three kilograms;
- do weightlifting;
- do jumps, somersaults and other athletic exercises;
- be on your feet for more than an hour in a row;
- abuse alcoholic beverages (which can lead to further injuries).
You should lie down as much as possible, rest. Walk no more than an hour a day. Long walks and sports are prohibited in the first month after receiving a back injury. If you do not follow these simple rules, complications are possible.
Possible consequences of a back bruise when falling
List of possible consequences even after a mildinjury:
- circulatory disorders;
- pinching of the nerve by the vertebrae;
- injury to internal organs;
- internal hematomas and hemorrhages;
- partial or complete paralysis of the limbs.
Domestic injuries most often do not pose a threat to life. A completely different matter is bruises at work. They often cause disability. Safety precautions should be carefully observed and in no case should dangerous work be carried out while intoxicated. Back injuries can make a huge difference in he alth.
