TRAUMA Injury (trauma) is the leading cause of death for all age groups under the age of 44. It accounts for more lost years of life than atherosclerosis and cancer combined. Injury costs the United States between 100 and 200 billion dollars annually. In the United States, it is the leading cause of death in children.
No one expects to be injured, much less die from injury. Death following injury commonly happens to young adults and children, and they never expect to die from any cause. Disability or death from injury is viewed as an act of God or an unpreventable accident, however most "accidents" are preventable, with only a small amount of planning. Motor vehicle crashes and firearm injuries are the two most common causes of traumatic death. Alcohol and drug use are directly or indirectly responsible for 75-80% of these injuries.
Inova Regional Trauma Center (IRTC) is Northern Virginia's only Level 1 (highest level) trauma center and the busiest center in the area. It also is the only trauma center in Virginia verified by the American College of Surgeons. It provides immediate, state-of-the-art, all-inclusive care for the most severely injured patients in Fairfax County and the surrounding region. The staff includes a full complement of professionals who help patients and families cope with the devastation of traumatic injuries.
As a Level 1 trauma center, the Inova Regional Trauma Center plays a key role in public education and prevention of trauma. In 1996, the Northern Virginia Injury Prevention Center (NVIPC) was formed with the mission: To reduce preventable injuries through provision of information and education to the members of the community.
For more information about the Inova Regional Trauma Center:
Post-Traumactic Stress Disorder Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or violent personal assaults. People who suffer from PTSD often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the person's daily life.
PTSD is marked by clear biological changes as well as psychological symptoms. PTSD is complicated by the fact that it frequently occurs in conjunction with related disorders such as depression, substance abuse, problems of memory and cognition, and other problems of physical and mental health. The disorder is also associated with impairment of the person's ability to function in social or family life, including occupational instability, marital problems and divorces, family discord, and difficulties in parenting.
Recovery Survivors recover in stages. They may start with one stage, go to another, and go back. Each person processes the event his or her own way. Here are some stages a survivor may go through:
How is PTSD Treated? PTSD is treated by a variety of forms of psychotherapy and drug therapy. There is no definitive treatment, and no cure, but some treatments appear to be quite promising, especially cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy, and exposure therapy, in which the patient repeatedly relives the frightening experience under controlled conditions to help him or her work through the trauma. Studies have also shown that medications help ease associated symptoms of depression and anxiety and help ease sleep. For more information about PTSD: