Head, Neck, Face, Eye, and Chest Injuries

EMT 100

Closed Head Injury

Open Head Injury

Head Injury Signs & Symptoms

Change in LOC

Headache

Unilateral weakness or paralysis

Unequal pupils

N & V

Seizures

Pallor

Incontinence

Drainage from ears or nose

Speech disturbances

Head Injury Treatment

Maintain ABCs

Immobilize head and neck

Apply loose dressings to wounds/bleeding

Reassure

Get follow up medical help, eg activate EMS

Head Injury Facial Injury

Expect airway problems!Teeth, blood and vomitus

Penetrating injury to cheek: only time a penetrating object can be removed

Head Injury Injury to the Neck

Voice box (larynx)

Windpipe (trachea)

Spinal cord

Apices (tips) of lungs

Major vesselsBlood loss

Air emboli

Brain damage

Neck Injury Treatment

Maintain ABCs

Immobilize head and neck

Cover wounds with loose dressingTape in place to secure

Reassure

Get follow up medical help, eg, activate EMS

Eye Injuries

Generally, leave the victim’s contact lenses in place

Chemical splash in eye

Flush injured eye with waterAcids about 5-10 minutesAlkalines about 10-20 minutesUntil patient feels relief

Eye Injury (cont.)

Cover BOTH eyes with loose dressing!

Seek follow up medical care

Burns to the eye and eyelid(s)

Cover both eyes with moist, but loose dressing

Get immediate medical help

Lacerations/Avulsions to the eye

Cover both eyes with loose dressings

Get immediate medical care

Complete eye avulsion

Cover uninjured eyePad avulsed eye with moist dressingsTape protective cup over itGet immediate medical care

Object(s) in eye

If on surface, try to flush out

Seek follow up medical care

Object impaled in eye

GET IMMEDIATE MEDICAL HELP-ACTIVATE EMS

Detached RetinaUsually seen with head/eye trauma or diabetes

Eye pain plus increasing blind spot

Immobilize head & neck

Cover both eyes

Lay patient flat

Activate EMS

Hyphema – bleeding into or from the iris (colored part of eye)

Seen with trauma to eye orbit

Blood oozes from iris or into it

Immobilize head and neck

Cover both eyes

Raise head and shoulders

Activate EMS

Chest Injury

May be due to blunt or penetrating injury

May cause damage to:Heart

Lungs

Major Blood Vessels

Chest Injury Broken Ribs

Pain that gets worse with breathing or any movement

Difficulty breathing

Discoloration

Treat by stabilizingHave patient lay on affected side

Chest Injury Penetrating Injury

Stabilize any implaed objects – Do NOT Remove!

If sucking chest wound, cover with three sided dressing

Three Sided Dressing