Coma can be defined as a state of depressed consciousness where a person is unresponsive to the outside world. Consciousness relies on the cerebral hemispheres interacting with an area of the brain stem called the ascending reticular activating system. Injury to these areas causes decreased consciousness or coma.
Coma is a state of unarousable unconsciousness due to dysfunction of the brain's ascending reticular activating system (ARAS), which is responsible for arousal and the maintenance of wakefulness.
When someone is in a coma, they cannot interact with their environment. The brain is still working, however, and the degree of brain activity varies from patient to patient. New tools for mapping brain activity have helped doctors illuminate what is happening inside the brain, which informs their treatment and care.
We now know that there are collections of nerve cells in the lower part of the brain, called the brainstem, which are responsible for maintaining a waking state.
It can have a variety of causes, including traumatic head injury, stroke, brain tumor, or drug or alcohol intoxication. A coma may even be caused by an underlying illness, such as diabetes or an infection. Coma is a medical emergency. Quick action is needed to preserve life and brain function.
Brain death: Irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem. A person who is brain dead is dead, with no chance of revival. Coma: A state of profound unresponsiveness as a result of severe illness or brain injury.
Can Your Loved One Hear You? During a coma, the individual is unconscious, meaning they are unable to respond to any sounds. However, the brain may still be able to pick up on sounds from loved ones. In fact, some studies suggest talking and touching a loved one while they are in a coma may help them recover.
They won't normally respond to sound or pain, or be able to communicate or move voluntarily, and basic reflexes, such as coughing and swallowing, will be greatly reduced. They may be able to breathe on their own, although some people require a machine to help them breathe.
Most individuals that recover from coma exhibit signs of preserved brain function, such as the presence of neurological reflexes. Some neurological reflexes that a doctor may look for in coma patients include: Pupillary reactivity. The pupils should shrink in response to a light being shone in the eyes.
The vast majority continue to be kept alive via hydration and nutrition delivered through a feeding tube.
In comatose patients, depending on the stage of their coma, the waveforms are altered. As the coma deepens, the EEG device will eventually show a flat line instead of a wave – this stage is considered to be the turning point between a living brain and a deceased brain.
They can't wake up, talk or respond to commands. The eyes may open in response to stimuli. The person is able to move their body. Heart rate, blood pressure and respiration continue.
Overcoming Post-Traumatic Amnesia
Post-traumatic amnesia is a common stage after a brain injury where the survivor struggles with memory, especially when emerging from a coma. Signs of post-traumatic amnesia can include confusion, impaired memory, and unusual behavior.
Someone who is in a coma is unconscious and will not respond to voices, other sounds, or any sort of activity going on nearby. The person is still alive, but the brain is functioning at its lowest stage of alertness. You can't shake and wake up someone who is in a coma like you can someone who has just fallen asleep.
Severe brain injury is usually defined as being a condition where the patient has been in an unconscious state for 6 hours or more, or a post-traumatic amnesia of 24 hours or more.
Lack of oxygen for a few minutes causes cell death to brain tissues. Anoxic brain injury may result from heart attack (cardiac arrest), head injury or trauma, drowning, drug overdose, or poisoning.
People in a coma will not age like conscious people living life. Muscles weaken & emaciate. The damaged part of the brain might deteriorate as a result of inflammation to the area.
People in a coma are completely unresponsive. They do not move, do not react to light or sound and cannot feel pain. Their eyes are closed. The brain responds to extreme trauma by effectively 'shutting down'.
Place objects in the person's hands. Use objects with pleasant tactile sensations and different textures such as soft toys, silk scarves or books. Put a bunch of flowers in the person's room or spray their favourite perfume.
CT scan. This uses a series of X-rays to create a detailed image of the brain. A CT scan can show bleeding in the brain, tumors, strokes and other conditions. This test is often used to diagnose and determine the cause of a coma.
What is a coma? A coma, sometimes also called persistent vegetative state, is a profound or deep state of unconsciousness. Persistent vegetative state is not brain-death. An individual in a state of coma is alive but unable to move or respond to his or her environment.
A comatose patient may open his eyes, move and even cry while still remaining unconscious. His brain-stem reflexes are attached to a nonfunctioning cortex. Reflex without reflection. Many professionals speak of this condition as a ''persistent vegetative state.
There's a difference between brain death and a vegetative state, which can occur after extensive brain damage. Someone in a vegetative state can show signs of wakefulness – for example, they may open their eyes, but not respond to their surroundings.
Typically, a coma does not last more than a few days or couple of weeks. In some rare cases, a person might stay in a coma for several weeks, months or even years. Depending on what caused the person to go into a coma, some patients are able to return to their normal lives after leaving the hospital.
A coma rarely lasts more than 2 to 4 weeks. Some patients may regain a degree of awareness after persistent vegetative state. Others may remain in that state for years or even decades. The most common cause of death for someone in a persistent vegetative state is infection, such as pneumonia.