Week 7 Signs and Symptoms of Chest Cavity Injuries

What are some of the signs and symptoms of injuries within the chest cavity?  List each injury with sign and symptom. Also respond to 2 other students posts.

Types/Signs/Symptoms of Injuries within the Chest Cavity:

1.Pneumothorax and tension pneumothorax

* Signs/Symptoms of Pneumothorax:

-respiratory difficulty/jugular vein distension

-uneven chest wall movement

-absent or diminished lung sounds from the affecting side

*Signs/Symptoms of tension Pneumothorax:

-increasing respiratory difficulty

-shock signs and symptoms (rapid or weak pulse, cyanosis, low blood pressure)

-jugular vein distension

-tracheal deviation

-absent or diminished lung sounds from the affecting side

2. Hemothorax and Hemopneumothorax:

*Signs/Symptoms:

-coughing frothy blood

3. Traumatic Asphyxia:

Signs/Symptoms:

-Distended neck veins

-Head, neck and shoulders appearing dark or blue, bloodshot and bulging eyes

-Swollen and blue tongue and lips

-Chest deformity

4. Cardiac temponade:

*Signs and Symptoms:

-distended neck veins

-super weak pulse

-low blood pressure

-steadily decreasing pulse pressure

5. Aortic Injury and Dissection

*Signs and Symptoms:

-horrible chest pain radiating to the back

-different pulses on either side of the patient (left and right extremities between the arms and legs)

-palpable pulsating mas (if the aorta is involved)

-cardiac arrest