Condition Lookup

Compartment Syndrome

Sub-category: Acute and Chronic Syndromes

Symptoms:
intense pain, especially with movement; swelling; tightness or hardness of the affected area; numbness or tingling; weakness or paralysis

Root Cause:
Increased pressure within a muscle compartment due to trauma, bleeding, or swelling, leading to compromised blood flow and tissue damage.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical symptoms assessment; measurement of compartment pressure using a needle and pressure monitor; imaging studies like MRI or CT may assist in identifying underlying causes.

Treatment:
Immediate surgical intervention (fasciotomy) to relieve pressure; rest and physical therapy post-surgery to restore function.

Medications:
Pain relievers such as opioids for severe pain; anti-inflammatory medications like NSAIDs may be prescribed post-surgery for inflammation. Opioids are classified as analgesics, and NSAIDs are anti-inflammatory drugs.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare but serious; often occurs in young adults and athletes following trauma or overexertion.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Fractures, crush injuries, burns, overly tight bandaging, or prolonged vigorous exercise.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Favorable with prompt treatment; delayed treatment may lead to permanent nerve or muscle damage, requiring further surgeries or even amputation in severe cases.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Permanent muscle or nerve damage, chronic pain, limb deformity, or loss of limb function.

Ligament sprains and muscle strains

Specialty: Trauma and Injuries

Category: Soft Tissue Injuries

Sub-category: Ligament and Muscle Injuries

Symptoms:
pain at the injury site; swelling; bruising; reduced range of motion; muscle spasms; difficulty bearing weight

Root Cause:
Overstretching or tearing of ligaments (sprains) or muscles/tendons (strains) caused by trauma, overuse, or sudden movements.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed through clinical evaluation and imaging (e.g., MRI for severe injuries).

Treatment:
Treated with rest, ice, compression, elevation (RICE), physical therapy, and sometimes bracing or surgical repair.

Medications:
NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or naproxen for pain and inflammation, and occasionally acetaminophen for pain relief.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common across all age groups, especially among athletes; sprains affect over 2 million people annually in the U.S. alone.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Sports participation, poor conditioning, inadequate warm-up, and previous injuries.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Most sprains and strains heal completely with appropriate treatment within days to weeks; severe cases may take several months.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic instability, joint stiffness, reduced mobility, and recurrence of injury.

Deep Lacerations Requiring Sutures

Specialty: Trauma and Injuries

Category: Soft Tissue Injuries

Sub-category: Lacerations and Cuts

Symptoms:
visible deep cut through the skin and underlying tissue; bleeding that is difficult to control; exposed muscle, fat, or bone; pain at the injury site; swelling or redness around the wound

Root Cause:
The integrity of the skin and underlying tissues is disrupted due to a sharp or blunt object, leading to exposure of deeper layers and potential infection risk.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Physical examination of the wound to assess depth, location, and severity; evaluation for damage to underlying structures such as tendons or nerves. Imaging may be used if a foreign body is suspected.

Treatment:
Cleaning the wound thoroughly, applying local or regional anesthesia, suturing in layers to close the wound, and covering with sterile dressing. Tetanus prophylaxis may be administered.

Medications:
Antibiotics (such as amoxicillin-clavulanate) may be prescribed to prevent infection. Over-the-counter or prescription analgesics (e.g., ibuprofen or acetaminophen ) are used for pain relief.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common; millions of cases annually in emergency departments worldwide, often resulting from accidental injuries.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Use of sharp objects, occupational hazards, recreational activities, and insufficient safety measures.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Excellent with proper care; wounds usually heal within 7-14 days depending on size and location. Scarring may occur.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Infection, delayed healing, excessive scarring or keloid formation, and damage to underlying structures such as nerves or tendons.

Nerve and Tendon Injuries

Specialty: Trauma and Injuries

Category: Soft Tissue Injuries

Sub-category: Nerve and Tendon Damage

Symptoms:
pain at the injury site; numbness or tingling in the affected area; weakness or inability to move a limb or digit; swelling or bruising; visible severance or deformity in severe cases

Root Cause:
Damage to nerves or tendons caused by lacerations, crush injuries, or extreme strain, resulting in loss of motor or sensory function.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Physical examination focusing on motor function, sensory deficits, and tendon integrity. Imaging studies such as MRI or ultrasound may be used to assess the extent of tendon or nerve damage. Electromyography (EMG) may assess nerve function.

Treatment:
Surgical repair of severed nerves or tendons (e.g., suturing or grafting), immobilization with splints or casts, followed by physical therapy to restore function and strength.

Medications:
Antibiotics (e.g., cephalexin ) to prevent infection if associated with open wounds. Pain management with NSAIDs (e.g., ibuprofen ) or opioids (e.g., oxycodone ) for severe pain. Nerve pain may be managed with gabapentinoids (e.g., gabapentin or pregabalin ).

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Fairly common, particularly in industrial or sports settings. Tendon injuries account for about 30% of hand injuries requiring medical attention.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Occupational hazards, participation in contact sports, repetitive strain, and accidental trauma.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Varies; successful recovery often depends on early intervention. Tendon injuries may recover fully in 6-12 weeks with proper treatment, while nerve injuries may take months to years depending on severity.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic pain, loss of function or strength, infection, scar tissue formation, and permanent nerve or tendon damage in severe cases.

Muscle Bruises

Specialty: Trauma and Injuries

Category: Soft Tissue Injuries

Sub-category: Contusions and Hematomas

Symptoms:
localized pain; swelling; skin discoloration (bruising); tenderness; limited range of motion in the affected area

Root Cause:
Caused by trauma or blunt force to the muscle, leading to bleeding under the skin and tissue damage without breaking the skin.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical examination assessing pain, swelling, and discoloration; imaging such as ultrasound or MRI may be used to evaluate the extent of injury in severe cases.

Treatment:
Rest, ice application, compression, elevation (RICE therapy); physical therapy for severe cases to restore function.

Medications:
Over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen to reduce pain and swelling. NSAIDs are classified as anti-inflammatory medications.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Very common, especially in athletes and individuals involved in physical activities or accidents.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Participation in contact sports, lack of protective gear, falls or collisions, and insufficient muscle conditioning.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Generally excellent with proper care; most bruises resolve within 1-2 weeks. Severe cases may take longer, especially if accompanied by significant tissue damage.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Risk of compartment syndrome, myositis ossificans (abnormal bone formation in the muscle), or prolonged pain and stiffness if not treated properly.

Rhabdomyolysis (Muscle Breakdown)

Specialty: Trauma and Injuries

Category: Soft Tissue Injuries

Sub-category: Crush Injuries

Symptoms:
muscle pain; weakness; swelling; dark or tea-colored urine; fatigue; nausea; vomiting

Root Cause:
Breakdown of muscle tissue leads to the release of intracellular contents, including myoglobin, creatine kinase, and electrolytes, into the bloodstream, potentially causing kidney damage.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Blood tests showing elevated creatine kinase (CK) levels, myoglobin in urine, electrolyte imbalances (hyperkalemia, hypocalcemia), and renal function tests.

Treatment:
Aggressive intravenous fluid resuscitation to prevent kidney damage, electrolyte correction, and, in severe cases, dialysis or fasciotomy.

Medications:
Medications for rhabdomyolysis may include sodium bicarbonate (to alkalinize urine), diuretics (to support urine output), and calcium gluconate (to manage hyperkalemia). These belong to classes such as alkalizing agents, diuretics, and electrolyte replacements.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Occurs in 26,000 cases per year in the U.S.; common causes include trauma, overexertion, and drug toxicity.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Trauma, crush injuries, prolonged immobility, intense exercise, dehydration, statin use, and drug or alcohol abuse.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with early treatment; delayed intervention may lead to acute kidney injury or death.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Acute kidney injury, electrolyte imbalances, compartment syndrome, cardiac arrhythmias, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).