Pain Management of Degloving Injuries
When an individual has suffered a degloving injury, one of the overlooked parts of the treatment process is pain management. While it is essential to consider the surgical management and recovery of the affected area, treating the discomfort of the individual is just as critical. Depending on the severity of the injury, pain management of a degloving accident can take many forms. Some of the treatment options include:
- Anti-inflammatory medications such as Tylenol and Motrin
- Narcotic and opioid drugs
- Nerve injections targeting specific body locations
- A medically induced coma
Over-the-Counter Medications Are First
One of the mantras when it comes to pain management is to start low and go slow. This means that over-the-counter medications should always be used first. Tylenol and Motrin are anti-inflammatory medications and can reduce pain, swelling, and treat any fever that might arise. While their side effects are minimal, overdoses on Tylenol and Motrin may lead to liver or kidney damage, respectively.
Watch YouTube Video: How to Choose Over-the-Counter Pain Medication. With so many over-the-counter medications being sold under several brand names, it may be difficult to choose the right one for your pain. This video explains exactly how to do it.
Narcotic and Opioid Medications Have Their Risks
With serious degloving injuries, over-the-counter medications are often not enough. That is where narcotic and opioid drugs can be helpful. A few examples of these medications include:
- MS Contin
- Morphine
- Dilaudid
- Vicodin
- Percocet
- Hydrocodone
- Codeine
With so many options, it is essential for patients to find the one that works well for them. Of course, there are dangerous side effects. Some of these include:
- Respiratory depression
- Fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
- Confusion
Overdoses on these medications can cause people to stop breathing. This is one of the major issues of the opioid epidemic. Anyone taking these medications should only do so under the supervision of a doctor.
Nerve Injections for Pain Management
In some situations, people might have suffered severe degloving injuries that strip the tissue away, revealing nerves and blood vessels underneath. Without adequate protection, these nerves may start to fire uncontrollably, leading to severe pain. For help with this, nerve injections might be used. In this procedure, a dose of an analgesic is injected directly into the damaged nerve. This can be used to stop the nerve from firing temporarily, leading to pain relief. These injections are temporary and might need to be repeated several times during the recovery process.
A Medically-Induced Coma as a Last Resort
In some situations, the degloving injury may be so extensive and so widespread that it impacts multiple areas throughout the body. If there is no way for the pain to be adequately controlled, it might start to have long-term impacts on the body’s vital organs. To take the pain away and keep the patient still, the individual might be placed in a medically induced coma. This is only used as a last resort and requires long-term intensive monitoring in a hospital setting. During this time, it is crucial for families to ask for help from an injury lawyer.
Personal Injury Lawyer in Sacramento
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer. It is crucial for individuals to control their pain after a degloving injury. Should you or someone you care for has suffered a serious degloving injury, please reach out to me at (800) 404-5400 or (916) 921-6400 to receive free, friendly legal guidance and advice.
I’m honored to be a part of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum & of the Top One Percent, which is a National Association of Distinguished Counsel.
See a list of our past verdicts & settlements here and our client reviews on Google, Avvo, and Yelp.
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