You will be asked about how you got injured, your symptoms, and your medical history. A physical exam will be done. Your bodily fluids may be tested with blood tests to look for signs of internal bleeding.

Images may be taken of your chest to look for evidence of damage to lung tissue or other chest structures. This can be done with:

Treatment

A pulmonary contusion can also result in complications, such as a collapsed lung or chest bleeding. It may also go along with other chest injuries, such as broken ribs or lung laceration. These injuries can interfere with the ability to breathe properly. Without proper treatment, complications, such as pneumonia, may result.

Treatment will depend on the severity of your injury and other injuries you may also have. Talk with your doctor about the best treatment plan for you. Options include:

Emergency Medical Care

Close monitoring will be needed. Emergency care may include:

Pain medication
Oxygen therapy to improve the amount of oxygen in the blood
Mechanical ventilation to take over or support breathing if the lung is severely damaged

Medications

Over-the-counter or prescription pain medication may be advised to reduce pain.

Prevention

Prevention will depend on the cause, but may include:

Wearing appropriate safety equipment when playing contact sports
Wearing a seatbelt when in a motor vehicle to help prevent accident-related chest trauma

RESOURCES:

Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians
http://familydoctor.org

Trauma.org
http://www.trauma.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Health Canada
https://www.canada.ca

Trauma Association of Canada
http://www.traumacanada.org

References:

Chest trauma. Trauma.org website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed November 28, 2017.

Pulmonary contusion. Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Updated January 2017. Accessed November 28, 2017.

Pulmonary contusion. Radiopaedia.org website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed November 28, 2017.

Pulmonary contusion. University of Connecticut—Korey Stringer Institute website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed November 28, 2017.

Pulmonary contusion—emergency management. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed... . Accessed November 28, 2017.

Last reviewed November 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board James Cornell, MD
Last Updated 12/21/2016

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