Some people suffer horrible injuries in a car accident. The effects of a catastrophic injury can last for the rest for your life, particularly if you lose a part of your body as a result of the crash. In some cases, an injured person has to undergo amputation to remove a hand, foot or even an arm or a leg, possibly due to gangrene.
If you have never heard of gangrene, it is important to learn the signs of it in case you suffer serious injuries from a car wreck. Johns Hopkins Medicine explains that gangrene is a dangerous condition that could result in amputation and even lead to death if not treated.
The definition of gangrene
Gangrene occurs when a large part of your body tissue loses blood flow. Generally, this happens due to a serious injury like a burn that disrupts or damages blood vessels, but it can also occur if your skin freezes and creates frostbite. Tissue that cannot take in blood will start to decay and die. This happens in instances of dry gangrene. It is also possible for bacteria to invade injured tissue, which results in wet gangrene.
Signs of gangrene
Sometimes gangrene can be obvious. You might notice a wound that smells bad and secretes pus. Some wounds develop swelling and redness around it, which occurs with wet gangrene. With dry gangrene, your skin may develop odd colorations, perhaps bronze, blue or a mix of green and black. A particular area of your body may also manifest sores.
Gangrene can produce other symptoms. You might develop a fever that does not go away and does not seem like it comes from any particular illness. Gangrene can also make you feel confused or suffer from low blood pressure. You might even experience shock. Since gangrene can develop inside your body, you should not automatically dismiss gangrene as a cause because there are no visible signs of it.
Seek treatment as soon as possible
If you believe you have a serious problem following an auto accident, going to a doctor may reveal the cause of your symptoms and enable you to seek treatment in time to prevent an amputation or any other undesirable outcome. In any case, you should find out the true scope of your condition so you may determine your medical expenses going forward.