What Is a Trauma?

A trauma usually refers to an acute injury to the body as a result of an accident or act of violence. It is often caused by sudden, blunt force. Psychological trauma can arise from an emotionally shocking, painful, or intensely disturbing event that can culminate in a mental disorder over time, if not treated. Traumatic events of any type usually occur suddenly and require immediate action to stabilize the affected person.

A trauma center is generally a hospital unit designed to quickly react to the immediate needs of the critically ill patient. People treated in this unit are usually those who have been involved in various types of accidents, auto collisions, or violent attacks. It is normally staffed by specialized doctors and surgeons, who are prepared to deal with extensive injuries resulting from blunt force.

The first few hours after an injury of this caliber are the most critical to a patient’s chance of survival. Certain modes of medical transport exist to quickly dispatch a trauma team to an accident site. It is not uncommon for these teams to arrive in a medical helicopter, which is typically much faster than an ambulance.

Once the medical team is on site, its members work quickly to stabilize the patient in order to transport him or her to the trauma center. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), intravenous therapy, the application of a tourniquet or other life-saving techniques can be performed to prepare the patient for air rescue service to the hospital. Once the victim arrives there, emergency surgery or other extraordinary measures can be performed to save the life of the patient. Once the immediate danger has been addressed, the injured person will often begin recovery in an intensive care unit (ICU).

In addition to the physical injuries, emotional trauma can occur after an extremely distressing or shocking incident, or even a chain of events that causes the person to feel overwhelming anguish. Usually, this transpires when something horrible happens unexpectedly, and the individual is powerless to stop it. An individual who has suffered child abuse or has been kidnapped may also experience this.

Often, in adults, a form of neurosis like this can manifest due to a traumatic event that occurred during childhood. Symptoms of emotional trauma generally include nightmare, reliving frightening aspects of the event, paranoia, or feelings of imminent danger. These can consume the victim and severely impact his or her life. Psychological treatment, as early as possible, can help ease this pain and avert long-term mental conditions.