Traumatic injuries occur due to external forces acting on the body and can be classified as either blunt or penetrating trauma. Blunt trauma includes injuries from falls, road accidents, crush injuries, assaults, and burns. Penetrating trauma involves injuries caused by objects piercing the body, such as gunshot wounds, stabbings, or impalement from falling onto a sharp object.

Injury Severity

Injuries can range from minor to severe. Minor injuries, such as a small cut from opening a metal can or a broken bone during sports, can be painful but are usually manageable with treatment from a GP, health clinic, or emergency department, allowing the person to recover at home.

More severe traumatic injuries, however, may require hospital admission for thorough assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation. The full extent of injuries is not always immediately visible upon arrival at the hospital, and patients may need extensive evaluations, including scans, X-rays, or even multiple surgeries in the first few days.

Assessing Injury Severity

The severity of an injury is determined using a scoring system called the Injury Severity Score (ISS). This score is calculated retrospectively after all injuries have been diagnosed. Patients with severe trauma may require intensive care or specialized treatments, which could involve being transferred to another hospital for advanced medical support.