It is an unpleasant fact that serious medical conditions can affect anyone during their existence. From the beginning of life, some babies and young children may suffer from congenital medical conditions, such as heart defects or cystic fibrosis, that require hospital treatment from an early age. Thankfully, many people do not experience such medical problems and have long and healthy lives, free of ill health. In later life, health problems can become more apparent because of declining mobility and poorer health. Some medical conditions are severe enough to require long-term medical treatment or an emergency response from healthcare providers. In this article, three types of serious medical conditions are explored in detail, including how they can be effectively treated.
Traumatic Injuries
Traumatic injuries often occur as the result of a serious fall or collision. Road traffic accidents are a major cause of serious trauma and will commonly necessitate an emergency response from healthcare professionals, such as paramedics. If damage is suspected to the spinal cord because of a traumatic injury, the patient will be immobilized using a special collar and spinal board that seeks to eliminate movement of the affected area to minimize any further damage. The patient will often be conveyed to a medical centre under emergency conditions, where they will receive specialist treatment and assessment. An MRI scanner is commonly used by healthcare professionals to fully assess the nature of the traumatic injury so that the best treatment plan can be adopted. Today, stem cell therapy is commonly used to treat spinal injuries or problems that result in severe back pain. Healthcare organizations, such as bioxcellerator.com, use stem cell therapy to treat spinal cord injuries. This can be considered a non-invasive procedure that can prove to be highly effective in treating such medical conditions.
Stroke
A stroke is a life-threatening emergency and anyone who experiences a stroke will need to seek emergency medical attention. A stroke occurs in the brain because of a rupture in one of the blood vessels that supply the brain with blood and oxygen. It can also occur because of the build-up of fatty deposits in the blood vessels that can starve parts of the brain of oxygen and blood and can lead to tissue damage. Stroke patients will be taken to stroke centres or emergency departments where they will be stabilized. In the case of blockages in the brain causing a stroke, thrombolytic drugs may be used to destroy the blockage. Stroke patients may also experience loss of muscle function and problems with speech. These are commonly treated with physiotherapy and speech therapy.
Heart Attacks
A heart attack can occur when there is a blockage in one of the main arteries that supply the heart with blood. Once again, this is a life-threatening emergency which will require immediate medical treatment. If the patient does not receive suitable interventions (such as aspirin, GTN spray, or thrombolytic medication), the condition may result in cardiac arrest that can lead to death if the patient is not resuscitated in time. Common symptoms of a heart attack include feeling dizzy, having pain relief, or pain in the jaw. However, in some circumstances, a person can experience a heart attack without suffering from any pain. This is known as a silent MI (myocardial infarction).
