Broken bones, head injuries, spine injuries and cuts are some of the most common injuries that people think about when they hear about automobile accidents. While those are some of the injuries that are often noticed, there are some other health concerns that can occur as a result of the injuries these victims suffer. Our Wisconsin readers might be interested to learn about rhabdomyolysis.
What is rhabdomyolysis?
Rhabdomyolysis is a condition that occurs when damaged muscle tissues release myoglobin into the bloodstream. Myoglobin can damage kidneys as it breaks down. Crushing injuries and trauma are two of the possible causes of rhabdomyolysis. The death of muscle tissue can also lead to this condition.
What are the symptoms?
Rhabdomyolysis can cause seizures, joint pain, fatigue, unintentional weight gain, muscle aches, muscle tenderness, weakness and changes in urine. A person with rhabdomyolysis might have red urine, dark urine or urine that looks like cola. All of these are symptoms are signs that you need immediate medical care.
What is the treatment for rhadbomyolysis?
The treatment consists of hydration via an IV. In some cases, kidney dialysis is needed. Bicarbonate and diuretics are sometimes used to help prevent kidney damage.
Ultimately, the outcome of this condition depends on the extent of damage to the kidneys. Even in the best of cases, there is a chance that long-term difficulties like muscle pain and fatigue will continue long after the patient returns to normal activities. Anyone who is diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis after an accident might opt to seek to help minimize the impact on his or her finances.
Source: MedlinePlus, “Rhabdomyolysis” accessed Jan. 16, 2015
