Chest injuries can be caused in a variety of different situations such as vehicle entrapment, falling debris, industrial accident, mining accidents and cave-ins.

Signs and symptoms

• Possible blood loss, internal or external

• Anxiety / restlessness

• Rapid pulse / shock

Rib injury:

• Trouble breathing

• Shallow breathing, short, rapid, gasping

• Tenderness at site of injury

• Deformity & bruising of chest

• Pain upon movement/deep breathing/coughing

• Decreased chest movement

• Dusky or blue lips or nail beds

• May cough up blood

• Crackling feeling upon touching casualty’s skin (like "rice bubbles")

First aid

• Call an ambulance immediately, the casualty can deteriorate very quickly

• Keep the casualty sitting upright, lean the injured side down

• Conduct a verbal secondary survey i.e. Ask the casualty about their pain

• Do not remove any embedded objects, pad around the object to control bleeding

• Cover any wounds with a dressing

• Escaping air wound – place a ‘flutter valve’ over wound

• Get some sort of plastic that is bigger than the wound

• Tape the plastic patch over the wound on only 3 sides. The 4th side is left open, allowing blood to drain and air to escape. This opening should be at the bottom (as determined by the casualty’s position)

• When the casualty inhales, the bag will be sucked in, but when the casualty exhales, the air will exit through the un-taped side

• If a flail segment is suspected, tightly secure a bulky dressing (such as a tightly folded hand towel) to help stabilise the injury

• Treat for shock as required and monitor carefully until help arrives