Coma – What is it, Symptoms and Treatments!
Coma – What it is, Symptoms and Treatments . Also, A Coma is a prolonged state of unconsciousness. During a Coma , a person is unresponsive to their environment. The person is alive and it looks like he or she is sleeping.
However, unlike deep sleep , the person cannot be awakened by any stimulus, including pain. Changes in consciousness can be quantitative or qualitative.
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Qualitative ones modify the content of consciousness and do not affect alertness, and quantitative ones, also known as level of consciousness, determine the degree of lucidity regarding the perception of reality.
The coma state is the maximum degree of quantitative alteration of consciousness. In it, there is inability of the affected individual to interact with the environment or react to any stimulus, with preservation of automatic vital functions such as circulation , breathing, excretion, etc.
Features of Coma Include:
- can’t open my eyes
- Unable to follow instructions
- Unable to speak or other forms of communication
- not being able to move
Causes of Coma: A Coma can have several possible causes, including:
Diabetes: if the blood sugar levels of the patient with diabetes rise too much, they will have hyperglycemia, the opposite is hypoglycemia (blood sugar levels are too low). Sustained periods of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia may result in coma
Hypoxia (lack of oxygen): A person who nearly drowned may not wake up due to lack of blood (which carries oxygen) to the brain . The same can happen if someone is resuscitated after a heart attack.
Infections: Those that cause inflammation of the brain , spinal cord, or tissues surrounding the brain can result in Coma if the symptoms are severe enough. Examples include encephalitis or meningitis
Stroke: a condition where a blood clot or artery or blood vessel rupture stops the flow of blood to an area of the brain . A lack of oxygen and glucose (sugar) flowing to the brain leads to brain cell death and brain damage, often resulting in impaired speech, movement and memory – and sometimes coma.
Toxins and Drug Overdose: Exposure to carbon monoxide can result in brain damage and coma .
Traumatic Brain Injuries: These include vehicle accidents and violent attacks. They are the most common cause of comas.
Coma Symptoms: A symptom is something that the patient feels and reports, while a sign is something that other people, such as the doctor, detect. For example, pain can be a symptom, while a rash can be a sign. As a comatose patient does not communicate, there are only signs:
- eyes closed
- People don’t respond except for reflex movements
- There is no response to painful stimuli, except for reflexive movements.
The severity and duration of signs and symptoms leading to loss of consciousness can vary and depend on the underlying cause. For example, worsening hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or hypercapnia (higher blood CO 2 levels) will cause mild agitation at first, eventually there will be obtuse (less than full mental capacity), stupor, and finally, loss of consciousness.
On the other hand, Coma caused by a severe brain injury or subarachnoid hemorrhage will occur instantly. Doctors are especially interested in what happened before the Coma , because it helps them determine what the underlying cause is and what treatment to apply.
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Coma Treatments : Coma is always a medical emergency. The first steps are to administer oxygen and fluids intravenously and monitor the person’s vital signs. It is important to determine the cause of the Coma as early as possible, because treatment will depend on that. The cause of the coma state should be treated whenever possible. When the coma state has stabilized, treatment is aimed at ensuring adequate nutrition, preventing infections and bed sores.