Crush injuries often do not get as much press attention as other forms of catastrophic injury, such as electrocution. Despite this, crush injuries can affect workers from many walks of life who have all different forms of employment.
On top of that, these injuries also have the ability to permanently alter your life. What are the important things to understand about these injuries and the impact they may have on you?
Influencing factors
Medline Plus discusses the impact of a crush injury on the body. First, crush injury impacts can vary hugely based on a number of factors. Just a few of them include:
- The age, weight, health and strength of the victim
- The size and weight of the object
- How far or fast the object fell
- How long the victim got pinned by the object
With so many factors at play, it is often hard to guess the full impact of a crush injury without the review of a medical professional.
Severe repercussions of crush injuries
However, almost all crush victims will face some form of severe complication. For example, if the trunk ends up crushed, this could potentially cause organs to fail. A crushed limb could result in amputation due to tissue death from a lack of blood to the area.
Necrosis and gangrene can set in with surprising swiftness, too. In fact, within hours of a crush injury, the tissue in the area may start to die. From there, the victim may deal with issues like infection or even sepsis, which can cause life-threatening complications like heart attacks.
After a crush injury, immediate medical attention is a must. This is the only way to determine the full extent of the injuries and how long they may last.