Blunt force trauma often occurs when an injury is inflicted which does not pierce the skin nor organs of the body or any internal space of the body. A blunt force trauma can happen intentionally in such instances as a fight or a brutal attack of sorts. It can also happen unintentionally by means of auto accident or as simple as a fall. Blunt force trauma differs from penetrating in that blunt force trauma is not piercing or puncturing, however it can be just as dangerous and in some cases more dangerous.

Penetrating trauma is when an object pierces the skin, organ or body cavity. This can also be an incident where no outside penetration was the cause but a broken bone or other internal body part was the cause of the piercing or puncture without the piercing of the skin. These types of injuries can be like blunt force traumas in that it can be intentional and unintentional. In cases of intentional it can be from a gun shot or a knife from an altercation. As far as unintentional, like blunt force trauma, penetrating can also occur from an automobile accident or a fall.

Psychological trauma is a result from some sort of traumatic event such as a war, seeing others hurt or from direct violence. You can develop psychological trauma during or after a blunt force or penetrating trauma as well. PALS certification also helps to save children who have been injured in a trauma related incident. Psychological traumas can be long term as well as short term depending on the person. Seeing a professional that is certified in that area of medicine is a must when dealing with this type of trauma.

No matter what type of trauma you have, it is very important that you seek proper medical attention. The quicker you seek medical attention, the higher the chance you will have of having a positive outcome without long term complications. Just because you have been involved in an incident or accident in which a form trauma is not immediately observed doesn’t mean its not there. There is always the risk of internal injuries which you may not know about until its too late. In conclusion, do not play around with any type of injury, no how minor. Getting immediate medical help may save your life or the life of another.

Knowing where the injury is and how it happened will also weigh in on the mode of transportation as in by air or ambulance, is it going to be a rapid transport situation. If it is going to be a rapid transport situation then all of the life threatening wounds should be addressed and the rest can be done on the way to the receiving facility. Knowing the what and how will also be able to help you decide the type of receiving facility to transport to. Some facilities offer higher levels of care than others depending on severity of injury.

The patient assessment always begins with a scene size up. You should always make sure the scene is safe. Look for downed power lines, irate individuals with weapons, gas leaks, etc… Once the scene is safe and you are allowed to enter you will want to then make sure you observe body substance isolation or (BSI). Before you enter a scene it is a good idea to have BSI. You want as much protection as you can get from the fluids and other substances from the patient and your scene. Once you have observed BSI you will want to find out the number of patients. Knowing this will help you to find out if you are going to need to triage patients as well as know if you are going to need additional resources which is the next step in the patient assessment.

Once you have determined whether or not you will need additional resources and they are contacted if needed, you will then need to determine the mechanism of injury. Knowing the mechanism of injury will assist you in determining the level of care the patient will need and almost always in conjunction with all of the other steps it will help you to make a transport decision. Finally you will need to have a partner hold c-spine. Especially if they have suffered a fall, motor vehicle collision, or any injury involving the neck, head, or spine. This is also where knowing the mechanism of injury comes in.

Knowing how to perform a patient assessment is a vital part of the emergency care process. This will be a part of your skills and knowledge required in your training in the Emergency medical field, especially that of an Emergency medical technician. This will also help anyone who is in any field in which responds to medical emergency calls such as first responders and volunteer firefighters as well as paid firefighters.

Aneurysms develop at a slow rate usually over the course of years and may not have any symptoms. An AHA PALS course may be required in order to treat such a condition. Some abdominal aortic aneurysms are discovered by abdominal ultrasounds or a CT scan of the abdomen. However, if an aneurysm develops quickly (like a rupture or a tear) the following symptoms may come on quickly: rapid heart rate, clammy skin, nausea and vomiting, pain in abdomen or back that radiates down to legs, groin, or buttocks. If any combination of these symptoms should arise quickly, the patient should seek medical attention immediately. Upon arriving at the health care facility, the physician will perform an abdominal exam. Checking of the pulse and checking for sensation in the legs will give the physician a clue that the patient may in fact have an aneurysm. Upon the exam of the abdomen, if a doctor finds the abdomen has a mass, is stiff, or has a pulsating sensation, these symptoms could also signal an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Treatments are conditional on the size and severity of the aneurysm. Small aneurysms can be treated with medication to prevent enlargement, and monitoring is essential to track the size of the bulge. More severe aneurysms endovascular surgery is performed by inserting a stent graph through the leg artery into the aorta to reinforce the weakened part of the aorta preventing the vessel from rupturing. Also, a benefit to endovascular surgery is that is more easily tolerated by older patients. In emergency situations that require prompt attention such as rupture or rapid dilation, open abdominal surgery may be required. During this procedure, an incision is made and the weakened section of the aorta is replaced with a graft and sutured in to place.

When found ahead of time, the prognosis for the patient is very good as surgery often times can keep a rupture or tear from occurring. Likewise, if severe symptoms mentioned above are experienced it is essential to have a medical profession examine the patient.

There are several types of hysterectomy’s a surgeon will perform. The first is a Supracervial or subtotal hysterectomy. A surgeon removes only the upper part of the uterus keeping the cervix in place; a total hysterectomy removes the whole uterus and cervix, and a Radical hysterectomy. The radical hysterectomy is when the surgeon removes the whole uterus, tissue on the sides of the uterus, the cervix, and the top part of the vagina. This surgery is needed when cancer is present.

The most common approach to a hysterectomy is the abdominal hysterectomy. This surgery leaves about a 5-7 inch scar on the abdomen. The surgeon may choose to make the incision vertical or horizontal. There are other approaches to a hysterectomy such as vaginal and microscopical, but the most common is the abdominal. A hysterectomy is a low risk surgery. Most women have little or no complications at all. However, as with all surgeries there can be complications. Some women have had problems with urinary incontinence, vaginal prolapse (part of the vagina coming out of the body), chronic pain, and Fistula formation (an abnormal connection that forms between the vagina and the bladder). Other risks include blood clots, and wound infections, which are uncommon. The recovery time after the surgery depends on the woman. Most women are told to abstain from sex and avoid lifting for six weeks after surgery. After a hysterectomy, if the ovaries we removed, a woman will enter menopause. It has also been proven that hormonal therapy is needed if the ovaries were removed. If the ovaries were not removed, a woman will most likely enter menopause at an earlier age. Most women after the surgery feel that the operation was a successful decision and improved or cured their problem.

Although, there is sometimes no prevention for having a hysterectomy, women should get yearly exams. Women should see there OBGYN physicians once a year since our bodies are always changing. You should especially been seen and let your physician know of any family history of female reproductive cancers or diseases. In doing this, you could decrease your chance of ever having these cancers, diseases, and possibly a hysterectomy.

Not everyone gets Heart Disease some are born with it and that is known as Congenital Heart Disease.  Congenital Heart Disease is a type of defect or malformation in one or more structures of the heart or blood vessels that occur before birth.  Congenital Heart disease my present itself at birth and sometimes not until adulthood. It is not known why it occurs as a fetus but has been said that exposure to some viral infections and alcohol could play a role.

Some symptoms of heart disease are irregularities in the heart such as abnormal rhythms or arrhythmia’s, shortness of breath, which can lead to a heart attack.  Other symptoms of the disease are weakness, dizziness, sweating, and a faster heartbeat. Although many heart problems can have the same symptoms it is important to be checked by a doctor if the symptoms keep occurring.

Symptoms of heart attack can be but are not limited to feeling numbness  or arm, pressure or heaviness in the chest, extreme weakness, vomiting.
During a heart attack you may or may not have any symptoms at all , which is more common with diabetics.  If you do have symptoms they may last up to 30 minutes and can not be calmed by oral medication.  Tightness in the chest can turn into severe pain and then you should immediately be seen by a hospital.

There are many treatments and care for someone with heart disease.  You should learn CPR for you and your loved one in case of an attack. There are medications, stents and even surgical procedures, which should be discussed with your physician.

Even though there is no cure for the disease living with the disease is possible and manageable with direction from your doctor. You can also try to live a healthier way of life.  This would include no smoking, plenty of safe exercise and a heart healthy diet.

Complications may occur during or after angioplasty; some of these include tearing of the artery, kidney problems, arrhythmia, allergic reaction, and blood clots. There are of course as with any surgeries risks with angioplasty. Some of these complications include myocardial infarction, kidney problems, and death. Risks are much higher for those 75 years or older, patients suffering from diabetes or kidney disease, as with patients with poor pumping function in their hearts.

As long there are no complications most of the patients are only monitored overnight and released the next day. Patients are advised to avoid any physical and/or mental stress after the surgery is complete. If you have swelling and bleeding or pain from the surgery site develops any other kind discomfort shortness of breath the patient should seek immediate medical attention. Some of the different types of angioplasty include peripheral, coronary, renal artery, and carotid.

Peripheral angioplasty is the opening of blood vessels outside the coronary arteries utilizing a balloon. Commonly used to treat atherosclerotic, narrowing of the abdomen. Coronary angioplasty is used to treat narrowed coronary arteries of the heart commonly found in coronary heart disease. Renal artery angioplasty is used to treat atherosclerotic obstruction of the renal artery; carotid angioplasty is used to treat carotid artery stenosis.

The risk of death during and or after angioplasty with today’s modern technology is less than 1% providing all the guidelines for post-surgery care are followed. The procedure usually requires 23 hours or less of hospitalization after it is complete. According to statistics it is a relatively safe procedure.

Electrocardiograms are usually implemented to find the cause of chest pain, check the progress of mechanical devices such as pacemakers; check out medication is affecting your heart, and overall health of the heart and to detect if any heart diseases are present. Different types of EKG’s that physicians implement are holter monitoring, event recorder, and stress test.

Some examples in instances when you may have an electrocardiogram test are; during physical examinations, stress test, before a major surgery, and before any surgeries involving the heart, (as well as  Pre, during, or post-surgery). more often than not, there are no risks during an electrocardiogram. Electricity is not run through your body from the machine. So in most cases an electrocardiogram is perfectly safe. The test usually also takes no more than 10 to 15 minutes until completion. Some of the health issues the test will show your doctor are heart rate, heart rhythm, heart attack, inadequate blood and oxygen level to the heart and structural abnormalities to name a few.

It is believed by some doctors that everyone ever 35 should have a baseline EKG done to have something to compare to you as you get older. An EKG cannot predict whether or not you’re going to have a heart attack. In some cases an electrocardiogram may need to be read several days later when comparing to a previous electrocardiogram due to the fact your test can appear to be normal during heart attack. No special preparation is needed before having an electrocardiogram test.

Drinking cold water and physical exertion can cause misleading changes in the electrical patterns during the test. The test can be performed in a hospital or in a doctor’s office. You will usually have anywhere from 12-15 leads or electrodes connected to your body in specific locations, you will be asked to lie still and breath normally as the machine measures your electrical activity. Usually right after the test, your doctor will be able to tell you the results.

In conclusion, echocardiograms are very much more useful in interpreting heart rhythms. They are not meant to prevent nor are they meant to treat any type of heart conditions and or diseases. In some cases that is determined through healthy living and genetics.

There is so much I owe to the staff, but they know how I feel. I still need to cut their pay! Just kidding…Please feel free to join us for the 15th annual customer award ceremony as we start the new year off…Thanks, Bob Bailey