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ACUTE
(trauma) PHASE
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ACTIVE
TREATMENT PHASE
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CHRONIC /
INJURY ADJUSTMENT
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WHAT'S HAPPENING?
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The body (or the mind following a
critical incident) is traumatized and may be in a state of shock Initial medical and paramedical
assessments are carried out to identify the nature and extent of trauma
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One or more treatments are usually
implemented with goal of “curing” the injury or injuries. With major or multiple injuries a
range of more sophisticated and expensive investigative procedures may be
performed e.g. CT scans, MRI scans, bones scans, ultrasound, nerve conduction
studies.
It is important to remember that in all
injuries and illnesses the treating doctor or professional does not make you
better, he or she only stimulates your own body’s ability to heal itself.
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Despite time having passed and a range
of treatments tried there are
residual problems from the
injury.
There may be complications from the injury itself.
There are frequently secondary and
tertiary problems that may be as bad or worse than the injury itself –
physical pain can lead to sleep loss, further irritability and depression.
Persisting injury difficulties can result
in inability work, unemployment and financial problems.
Relationship difficulties are common.
Hobbies and interests previously undertaken can no l.onger be
carried out and frequently new ones have not been taken up.
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HOW LONG FOR?
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May last from a couple of minutes e.g. a
small nick from shaving to several months after a major injury or surgery
where there are multiple injuries involved.
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May be a couple of days for relatively
minor injuries up to several years for more complex injuries.
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Usually at least 3 months post injury
but usually 6 to 12 months on
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TREATMENTS GIVEN?
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In most injuries there is much emphasis
placed upon rest. The objective
is to stabilise the injury and move beyond any life-threatening situation to
the treatment phase.
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A wide range of treatments may be
implemented or proposed and will be dependent upon the nature of the injury,
the training and preferences of the treating practitioner and the relative
cost/ benefit of that treatment.
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Emphasis changes from active treatment to
strategies for dealing with a chronic injury.
These include individual or group pain
management programs work hardening fitness programs.
There is also an emphasis away from high
dose analgesia to using alternative pain management strategies.
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EMPHASIS?
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Stabilising injury, preventing
complications
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Finding and implementing the most
effective treament/s to stimulate the bodies own healing processes.
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Fitness upgrading,
non-pharmaceutical means of pain
control, assistance with programs for long tem injury adjustment.
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TYPE OF DIFFICULITES ENCOUNTERED?
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Relapse - with major
trauma or illness the stabilized organ or limb bleeds uncontrollably or stops
working – after “heart
attack” there is a cardiac
arrest –that is it stops working and requires immediate resuscitation
With less serious injuries relapse or a
delayed healing process may occur if patient does not rest sufficiently or
moves into active treatment phase prematurely
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There are many:
- There are often discrepancies in
opinion about diagnosis and what treatments will work. These are frequently motivated by the potential cost of a proposed
treatment particularly when the treatment is being paid for by a third party
such as an insurer
- Lack of information by treating
practitioners about true diagnosis, what treatments will work, what is the
probability of success, what is the prognosis, likely long term complications.
- . Inadequate investigation and
misdiagnosis can result in inadequate or inappropriate treatments. On the other hand there can be
excessive costly investigations being ordered that are unlikely to result in
new information for a different or better cure or a change in prognosis.
- Lack of knowledge about true
diagnosis, prognosis and what
will make it better resulting in
a tendency to still seek a miracle cure or the right doctor.
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- Secondary psychological problems and
financial difficulties can lead to more difficulties being
encountered trying to accept the injury may be long term.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
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1.
Seek help from suitably qualified and experienced medical / par
medical staff
2.
Make sure the paper work is in place to ensure prompt processing and
referrals – e.g. completing correct workers compensation or health insurance
forms.
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- Seek help from suitably qualified and experienced medical /
par medical staff
- Ask for information about your diagnosis, what is being
prescribed or recommended, why, side effects and complications, real
success rate
- Do own research – library, internet, seconds opinions - take control!
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- Get the information about your injury you need
- Accept the evidence – particularly your own of living with the injury of whether it is getting or will continue to get better.
- Accept the need to adjust to your injury and to improve your quality of
life rather than to find the miracle cure.
- Use professionals to help you in the process if need be.
- Utilise the support of friends and family as much as possible.
- Don’t expect instant results.
- Experiment with new hobbies and interests that don’t stir up
your injury but that you could learn to enjoy.
- Participate in fitness programs whether organised or self initiated.
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