Injury types
Motor
Whiplash
Whiplash is a description of a range of injuries that affect the neck back and shoulders. They are often caused by road traffic accidents but can be caused by any incident which causes a sudden stretching of the spine such as sporting accidents.
Common symptoms
- Neck pain
- Back and shoulder pain
- Stiffness
- Decreased range of movements
- Pins and needles
- Headaches
Shoulder Injuries
Shoulder injuries can take many forms such as shoulder dislocation, shoulder separation, bursitis, and rotator cuff tears.
Common symptoms
- A dull ache deep in the shoulder joint
- Trouble sleeping due to the instability and discomfort
- Lack of mobility of the joint
- Extreme weakness in overhead activities
Neck Injuries
Neck Injuries range from soft tissue damage around the neck area to herniated discs, cervical dislocations and neck fractures.
Common symptoms
- Neck stiffness
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Abnormal sensations such as burning or prickling
- Muscle spasms
- numbness
- In extreme cases, paralysis
Back Injuries
Back injuries range from damage to the bones to muscle and tissue damage. Common back injuries include sprains and strains, herniated discs, and fractured vertebrae.
Common symptoms
- Shooting pain
- Muscle spasms
- Numbness
- Stiffness
- Lack of mobility or range of movements
- In extreme cases, paralysis
Leg, Knee and Foot Injuries
Leg, knee and foot injuries range from minor sprains to ligament and tendon damage, dislocations and broken bones.
Common symptoms
- Swelling
- Pain when walking
- Loss of movement
- Locking joints
Soft Tissue Damage
Soft tissue damage is damage to and muscles, ligaments and tendons. Common soft tissue injuries sprains, strains and bruising.
Common symptoms
- Pain
- swelling
- bruising
- loss of function
Amputation
Amputation is the removal of a body part by trauma or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb or as a result of damage through trauma
Injuries to Internal Organs
Injuries to internal organs can include damage to the liver, spleen, pancreas and bowel.
Common symptoms
- abdominal pain
- passing of blood in urine
Knocked out/Unconscious
Knocked out / unconscious refers to a loss of consciousness, often associated with shock or a blow to the head.
Post Concussion syndrome
Post Concussion Syndrome is also known as post concussive syndrome or PCS and is a set of symptoms that can occur following a mild or severe head injury. The symptoms may last weeks or months.
Common symptoms
- Noise sensitivity
- Problems with concentration and memory
- Irritability, depression
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Dizziness
Concussion
Concussion is the most common type of traumatic brain injury. Frequently defined as a head injury with a temporary loss of brain function, concussion can cause a variety of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms.
Common symptoms
- Dizziness
- Lack of coordination
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Disorientation
- Confusion
Psychological injuries
Psychological injuries or psychological trauma is a type of damage that occurs as a result of a traumatic event and is mental rather than physical.
Common symptoms
- Panic attacks
- Flashback
- Nightmares
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Mood swings
Accidents at work
Broken Bones
Broken bones are bone fractures which can be the result of high force impact or stress. Fractures can be open or closed. A closed fracture is when the skin is not broken. An open fracture (also known as a compound fracture) is one where the broken bone penetrates the skin.
Common symptoms
- Pain and swelling
- bruising
- bleeding where the fracture is compound
Repetitive Strain Injury
Repetitive strain injury – ( also known as stress injury, repetitive motion injuries, repetitive motion disorder (RMD), cumulative trauma disorder (CT), occupational overuse syndrome, overuse syndrome, regional musculoskeletal disorder) is an injury of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems that may be caused by repetitive tasks, forceful exertions, vibrations, mechanical compression (pressing against hard surfaces), or by working in sustained or awkward positions.
Common symptoms
- Short bursts of excruciating pain in the affected area
- Pain aggravated by activity
- Weakness
- Lack of endurance.
Industrial deafness
Industrial deafness is noise induced hearing loss. This can be as a result of exposure to short bursts of very loud noises or a cumulative effect of periodic or long term exposure to excessive levels of noise.
Common symptoms
- Temporary or permanent hearing loss
- Difficulty picking up specific pitches of noise
- Tinnitus (ringing or buzzing heard within the ear)
Vibration or Vibration White Finger
Vibration or Vibration white finger (also known as hand-arm vibration syndrome and dead finger) is a secondary form of Raynaud's syndrome, an industrial injury triggered by continuous use of vibrating hand-held machinery.
Common symptoms
- Tingling, whiteness or numbness within the hands and the fingers.
- Change of colour (“white finger” reference)
- In extreme cases fingers may need to be amputated
Electrical Burns
Electrical burns can be caused when electrical current is passed through the body even for a short period of time.
Common symptoms
- Minor to severe surface burns
- Blistering
- Redness
- Heart beat irregularities
Dislocations
Dislocations are caused when bones within a joint become displaced. Dislocations are often caused by sudden movements or impacts.
Common symptoms
- Swelling
- Extreme pain
- Immobility of the affected joint
- The joint will be visibly out of place.
Fractures
Fractures or bone fractures occur when there is a break in the continuity of the bone. Fractures are typically caused by falls or impacts.
Common symptoms
- Severe pain in the local area
- muscle spasms
- swelling
Muscle Damage or Muscle Strain
Muscle damage or muscle strain, muscle pull, muscle tear and bruised muscle are all types of muscle damage which can be caused by sudden impact, heavy lifting or other types of repetitive uses.
Common symptoms
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Pain when at rest
- Weakness and inability to use for normal daily functions
Tendon Damage
Tendon damage or tendon injuries tend to be connected to other injuries, such as dislocations and sprains.
Common symptoms
- Swelling
- Pain
- Instability of the joint (particularly knees)
Ligament Damage
Ligament damage like tendon injuries, ligament damage is normally connected to another more serious injury such as dislocation, strains and breaks.
Common symptoms
- Swelling
- Pain
- Instability of the joint (particularly knees)
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a compression of the median nerve travelling through the carpal tunnel which can be a symptom of repetitive strain injury.
Common symptoms
- Numbness
- Pain
- Tingling sensation in the hand
- Loss of grip strength
Medical Negligence
Cancer Misdiagnosis
Cancer misdiagnosis is the incorrect diagnosis of cancer. The effects of misdiagnosis of cancer can be extremely serious. Most cancer treatments are time critical so early diagnosis is vital.
Common symptoms – Advancement of cancer prior to treatment resulting in the cancer spreading leading to prolonged treatment, poorer outcome or even death.
Erb's Palsy
Erb’s palsy also know as brachial plexus injury, Erb’s palsy is a condition that can occur during child birth, causing damage to babies shoulder/arm primarily due to the over stretching or damage to nerves in the arm/shoulder. This type of injury can occur in adults also in specific accident circumstances.
Common symptoms
- Arm paralysis
- limp arm
- loss of sensation
- numbness
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a condition in which impairment to the immature brain affects movement, posture and co-ordination. The condition can occur before, during or after birth, but depending upon severity may not become obvious until early childhood. Cerebral palsy is a wide-ranging condition and can affect people in many different ways.
Common symptoms
- Limits in movement and posture cause activity limitation
- Disturbances of sensation
- Depth perception and other sight-based perceptual problems
- Communication ability can also be affected.
Birth Injuries To Child
Birth injuries to a child can be due to the negligence of medical staff such as Midwifes, Doctors and obstetrician during child birth. These injuries can be wide ranging from minor ailments to serious brain damage.
Common symptoms
- See Erb’s and Cerebral Palsy
- Can also affect broken bones
- Damaged joints
- Lack of oxygen can cause other brain injuries
Delayed Diagnosis
Delayed diagnosis relates to where there is a delay in seeing a doctor or medical professional for a diagnosis and there being a delay in the diagnosis being received. This can result in the original illness / condition being further advanced or more severe.
Surgical Injuries
Surgical injuries are also knows as surgical accidents or surgical mistakes can be as a result of medical negligence. The effects of these can be devastating.
Common symptoms
- Surgery on the wrong site (operating on the incorrect body part)
- Wrong surgical procedure
- Surgical instrument left in the body
- Damage from planned surgery (when damage has occurred as a result of surgery that was not outlined as a risk)
Delay In Treatment
Delay in treatment is a delay through no fault of the patient in the treatment of their ailment or illness.
Common symptoms
- Can result in original condition being more advanced and chances of recovery can be reduced (most relevant in cancer diagnosis)
Failure To Diagnose
Failure to diagnose relates to a medical professional failing to correctly diagnose a patient’s condition. These can include:
- Dislocated Hips
- Testicular torsions
- Missed fractures
- Severed tendons
- Misread cervical smears
- Cauda Equina Syndrome
- Subchorionic haemorrhage
All can lead to the original illness / condition being further advanced or more severe.
Pre Eclampsia
Pre eclampsia is a medical condition that occurs during pregnancy. It's presence is usually detected through increased levels of protein within the urine.
Common Symptoms
- Raised blood pressure
- Headaches
- Reduced foetal development
Shoulder Dystocia
Shoulder Dystocia is a specific form of shoulder dislocation that occurs during child birth.
Common symptoms
- Dislocated shoulder
- Damage to muscle
- Damage to tendons and nerves within the shoulder.
Forceps Injuries
Forceps Injuries – Injuries to child during child birth due to the use of forceps, primarily injuries are to the head.
Common symptoms
- Head and brain injuries
- Cerebral Palsy
- Erb’s Palsy
Slips and Trips
Broken Bones
Broken bones also known as fractures can be the result of high force impact or stress. Fractures can be open or closed. A closed fracture is when the skin is not broken. Open fracture (also known as a compound fracture) is where the broken bone penetrates the skin.
Common symptoms
- Pain and swelling
- Bruising
- Bleeding where the fracture is compound
Sprains
Sprains are injuries to joints that are caused by them being stretched beyond their usual capability. Sprains are most likely in ankles and wrists.
Common symptoms
- Can cause ligament damage
- muscle tears
- visual bruising
Ruptured Ligaments
Ruptured ligaments usually happen around the knee or ankle joints. They often happen as a result of sporting injury but can also happen as a result of impact injuries.
Common symptoms
- Severe pain immediately after injury
- Weakness of muscles
- Limitation of mobility
- Swelling
Head and Brain injuries
Skull Fracture
Skull fracture is the breaking of one or more of the bones that make up the skull; these fractures can be caused by impacts, falls or by any substantial force or blow to the head. Effects of skull fractures can lead to serious brain injuries.
Common symptoms
- Bleeding
- confusion
- nausea
- headaches
- slurred speech
- stiff neck
Anoxic Brain Injury
Anoxic brain injury can occur when the brain is starved of oxygen for a period of time, brain cells can begin to die after being starved of oxygen for approximately 4 minutes. Common causes of anoxic brain injuries can be drowning, choking, suffocation, brain tumours, blood clots and heart attacks.
Common symptoms
- Headache
- Confusion
- Loss of consciousness
Concussion
Concussion is the jarring of the brain causing a disturbance of function of the nerve cells in the brain. Symptoms can differ according to the level and strength of impact caused by a fall or sudden impact to the head.
Common symptoms
- Dazed feeling
- Confusion
- Headache
- Loss of memory
- Drowsy
Diffuse Axonal Injury
Diffuse axonal Injury an injury to a wider area of the brain, not usually as a result of a single impact to the head, more likely to be a result of the brain moving back and fourth within the skull under acceleration and deceleration causing damage to the nerve cells that carry messages within the brain. Common causes of this type of injury are motor accidents, sporting injuries and shaken baby syndrome.
Common symptoms
- Loss of consciousness
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Prolonged period of unconsciousness
- Coma
- Permanent brain damage
Subdural Haematoma
Subdural Haematoma is a type of brain injury damaging the veins around the brain and causing a build up of blood and pressure between the brain and the skull. These injuries can be caused by motor accidents, falls and as a result of skull fractures.
Common symptoms
- Headaches
- Drowsiness
- Confusion,
- Vomiting
- Blurred vision
Acquired Brain Injury
Acquired brain injury is a brain injury or brain damage that has been caused by events after birth and not as part of a genetic or congenital disorder, this can mean as part of a trauma or accident, can be caused by motor accidents, sports injuries and falls.
Common symptoms
- Loss of consciousness
- Blurred vision
- Balance problems
- Dizziness
- Respiratory issues
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of bladder and bowel control
- Headaches
- Numbness
- Ringing in ears.
Symptomatic Epilepsy
Symptomatic Epilepsy is where there is a specific cause of a person’s epilepsy, such as a head or brain injury.
Common symptoms
- Seizures
- Blackouts
- Confused memory
- Fainting
- Involuntary movements
Loss Of Taste or Smell
Loss of taste / smell can be caused by a trauma to the head and may lead to partial or permanent loss of smell and taste as the nerves responsible may be damaged or contain scar tissue.
Common symptoms
- Loss or a significant decrease in the ability to smell and taste
Closed Head Injury
Closed head injury is an injury to the head that does not penetrate the skull. Closed head injuries are often caused by trauma or blows to the head. Common causes of this are motor accidents and falls.
Common symptoms
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Ringing in the ears
- Slurred speech
Frontal Lobe Injury
Frontal Lobe Injury is a form of brain injury, as the name suggests this is an injury to the front of the brain, caused by trauma or blows to the head. Common causes of this are motor accidents and falls.
Common symptoms
Impairment of:
- Perception and rationality
- Social behaviour
- Personality
- Language skills
- Attention span
- Motor skills
- Sexual behaviour
Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic Brain Injury also known as intracranial injury occurs when an external force traumatically injures the brain. These injuries are generally caused by a direct impact to the head such as motor accidents or falls.
Common symptoms
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Ringing in the ears
- Slurred speech
Brain Damage
Brain damage can be caused as a result of many different types of accident, brain damange and brain injuries are most commonly associated with serious head injuries. The damage to the brain within the skull can not always be initially diagnosed immediately after an accident
Common symptoms
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Ringing in the ears
- Slurred speech
Spinal Injuries
Spinal Damage
Spinal damage also known as Spinal Cord Trauma Spinal damage generally defines trauma or damage to the spinal cord. This will often result in the loss of mobility of feeling in limbs or areas of the body. Spinal damage can be caused by many types of accident including motor accidents, sports accidents and falls.
Common symptoms
- Paralysis
- Loss of sensation
- Loss of reflex function
- Loss of bladder and bowel control
- Difficulty breathing
- Muscle spasms
- Sexual dysfunction
- Pain
- Difficulty breathing
Anterior Cord Syndrome
Anterior cord syndrome is a condition caused by a loss or interruption of the blood supply to the anterior section of the spinal cord, and can be caused by impacts such as motor accidents, sports accidents and falls.
Common symptoms
- Loss of sensation
- Loss of movement
- Loss of bladder and bowel control
- Pain
Central Cord Syndrome
Central cord syndrome is a type of incomplete spinal cord injury which affects the ability of some signals to be carried from the brain to the body. This can be caused by motor accident, sports injury and falls.
Common symptoms
- loss of fine control movements to the arms and hands
- loss of fine control movements to the legs and feet
Brown-Sequard Syndrome
Brown-Sequard syndrome is also known as Brown-Séquard's hemiplegia and Brown-Séquard's paralysis is a loss of sensation and movement of body/limbs caused by the cutting of the spinal cord. These injuries can be caused by motor accidents, sports injury or fall, or anything that causes a punctuation of the spinal cord, this can also be caused by gunshot or knife/puncture wound to the neck or back.
Common symptoms
- Loss of sensation
- Loss of movement
- Pain
Spinal Contusions
Spinal contusions are the most common type of spinal cord injury. It involves bruising of the spinal cord resulting in inflammation and bleeding from blood vessels near the injury. A spinal contusion results in temporary incomplete (one to two days) or complete debilitation of the spinal cord, and can be caused by motor accidents, sporting injuries and falls.
Common symptoms
- Paralysis
- Loss of sensation
- Breathing difficulty
- Loss of bowel and bladder control
- Muscle spasms
- Sexual dysfunction
Paralysis
Paralysis is the loss or impairment of the ability to use a body part, usually as a result of a trauma to the spinal cord or nerve supply. This kind of injury can be caused by motor accidents, sports injury or falls. The severity of the paralysis will depend upon the level of trauma. Paralysis can be temporary or permanent again depending upon the level of trauma.
Common symptoms
- Loss of movement in arms, legs, trunk
Quadriplegic
Quadriplegic, also known as tetraplegia is the paralysis caused by illness or injury that results in the partial or total loss of use of all limbs and torso
Symptoms can be loss of sensation in arms and legs, loss of dexterity in arms and legs, breathing difficulties, incontinence, impotence
Paraplegic is the paralysis caused by illness or injury that results in the partial or total loss of use of lower limbs.
Common symptoms
- Leg paralysis
- Lower body paralysis
- Incontinence
Specialist
Sun Bed Burn
Sun bed burn is a burn to living tissue, such as skin, which is produced by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, commonly from the sun's rays but can also be caused by sun beds. The strength of a sun bed and specifically the sun bed “tubes” can alter dependent upon how old they are.
Common symptoms
- Skin redness and pain
- Itching and peeling skin
- Rash
- Blistering
- Sometimes nausea
- Can cause scarring
Chemical Burns
Chemical burns can occur when the skin is exposed to a corrosive substance. These burns can happen as a result of modern beauty treatments where the correct quantities or time scales for the treatment have not been observed.
Common symptoms
- Redness
- Irritation
- Burning skin
- Numbness
- Blistering
Plastic Surgery Injuries
Plastic surgery injuries. There can be many reasons for plastic surgery going wrong, some can be avoided and are the result of specific procedures not being followed.
Common symptoms
- Excessive scarring
- Disfigurement
- Nerve damage
- Loss of symmetry
Laser Surgery Injuries
Laser surgery also known as laser skin resurfacing can leave burns and blisters that can result in light scars and changes in the pigmentation (colour shade) of the skin. Also laser treatment around the eye area can lead to damage to eyelid and sight.
Common symptoms
- Burns
- Blisters
- Loss of pigment in skin
Hair Removal Burns
Modern hair removal techniques usually involve a laser. There are specific criteria for which lasers to use on which skin type and colour. If these are not followed and the machine is not an approved model there can be situations where the skin is permanently damaged. Also the technicians using the laser must be suitable qualified to avoid injury / accidents.
Common symptoms
- Burns
- Scarring
- Blisters
- Damage to pigment (skin colour)
- Infection
Hair Dressing Injuries
Hair Dressing injuries can be an allergic reaction. This can occur when the body is exposed to a chemical without a proper “patch test” having been conducted.
Common symptoms
- Rash
- Swelling
- Difficulty breathing
Dog Bites
Dog bites can happen when dogs are not correctly supervised; dog bite claims are often dependent upon proving that the dog has a previous history of aggressive behaviour. Reference dangerous dogs Act 1991.
Common symptoms
- Bite marks
- Scarring
- Infections