Print Article
BookMark Article
10 newest articles RSS
First Aid Treatment For Jaw Injuries
Author : Chris Le Roy
Submitted : 2011-12-26 20:20:01 Word Count : 684 Popularity: 0
Tags: first aid for jaw, jaw injuries, first aid jaw injuries
Jaw injuries happen for a long list of reasons. Whether you were hit by something (or someone), took a little spill or found yourself becoming very personal with a tree on your latest skiing adventure, treatment pretty much remains the same.
If you are with someone who has recently suffered a physical jaw break or a dislocation of the jaw, your main concern is to monitor the person's breathing. Should swelling occur and be left to progress, this could become very serious. It should also be noted that jaw injuries and airway problems go hand in hand. Many people don't naturally relate the two however, restricted breathing can occur from a dislocation or a break.
Identifying a Jaw Injury
A jaw injury is not always as easy to identify as you might imagine. Quite often, adrenaline is involved in these types of mishaps so even a serious injury could get dismissed as not being a cause for concern until it has worsened. Below are a few key signs and symptoms to help you identify a jaw injury.
- Moderate to severe jaw pain. In most cases, the pain is quite extreme but again, this could depend on the person and the circumstance.
- One of the most obvious symptoms is bleeding around the jaw. Of course, in some cases, this could be due to loosened teeth or a bite to the tongue or inside of the cheek. You can typically tell the difference by the amount of blood.
- The face and/or jaw is visibly deformed.
- In some cases, the person will be dribbling because they can't control their saliva.
- The individual may have a difficult time opening or closing their mouth. In some cases, this is an impossible task.
- Swelling could be mild to severe.
Jaw Injury Treatment
Depending on whether the individual is conscious or unconscious will ultimately dictate which first aid protocol you should follow.
Patient is Conscious
- Have the individual support their jaw by holding it in a way that is comfortable.
- Even if you don't see any visible blood, you don't want the person to lay back where blood and saliva can be swallowed. Have them sit so they are slightly leaned forward. This will allow drainage to occur as necessary.
- Wipe away any blood and saliva that does drain out so the individual doesn't have to remove their hand from their jaw to do so.
- Call for emergency assistance from a paramedic or ambulance by dialing 000 in Australia or 911 in the USA.
Patient is Unconscious
- Immediately call a paramedic or ambulance. If you live in Australia, call 000, if you are in the USA, call 911.
- Help the individual into the recovery position so drainage doesn't block their throat. It is important that you constantly monitor and make sure that the airway doesn't become blocked.
- Record vital signs so you can provide this information to the paramedics upon arrival.
Author's Resource Box
Chris Le Roy is the owner of One-on-One Professional Business Training and his company provides first aid courses through out Queensland. He offers group First Aid Courses Brisbane and First Aid Training in Townsville.
Article Source:
Article Directory