How to Diagnose an Unconscious Injured Person

An unconscious injured person is obviously unable to tell you how the injury came about. During the secondary survey (see "How to Conduct a Secondary Survey of an Injured Person"), remember "AEIOU TIPPS" as a mnemonic for the following list of possible causes of unconsciousness.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Consider Alcohol: look for signs of drinking, like empty bottles or the smell of alcohol.

2. Consider Epilepsy: are there signs of a violent seizure, such as saliva around the mouth or a generally disheveled scene?

3. Think Insulin: might the person be suffering from insulin shock (see "How to Diagnose and Treat Insulin Shock")?

4. Think about drugs: Was there an Overdose? Or might the person have Underdosed - that is, not taken enough of a prescribed medication?

5. Consider Trauma: Is the person physically injured?

6. Look for signs of Infection: redness and/or red streaks around a wound.

7. Look around for signs of Poison: an empty bottle of pills or a snakebite wound.

8. Consider the possibility of Psychological trauma: might the person have a psychological disorder of some sort?

9. Consider Stroke, particularly for elderly people.

10. Treat according to what you diagnose.

Tips & Warnings

• The above are merely guidelines. Some of them you may have considered earlier in the secondary survey.
• These are mainly intended as a brainstorm - to make sure you have considered all the possible causes of unconsciousness.
• Do this only in conjunction with the rest of the diagnostic process (see "How to Conduct a Primary Survey of an Injured Person" and "How to Conduct a Secondary Survey of an Injured Person").
• This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

Who Can Help Sponsored

• How to Lose 30+lbs Guaranteed. Try it Free.