One of the most important things to know in a medical emergency is how to identify when someone has gone into a traumatic arrest. This can be very difficult because they will often have no signs or symptoms until it’s too late, but there are some clues that may help you identify them before it’s too late.
For example, if someone is unresponsive and not breathing normally then they likely have experienced traumatic arrest. If you see any of these signs then do not hesitate to call 911 immediately.
If they have been in a car accident, they may be holding their neck or head and will often report pain there. If someone has had an injury from falling down the stairs at work, they might show some stiffness around the shoulders when trying to move off of the ground as well.
They may also experience difficulty breathing or coughing if something is blocking the airway that would normally clear it for them. When identifying whether someone is experiencing traumatic arrest take note of how long ago their last normal breath was taken–if this was less than five minutes ago then your best bet is likely to still try resuscitation efforts because chances are good that person needs medical attention.
