Monday 15 March 2010

(((((("Can you hear me?"))))))

In medicine, a coma (from the Greek κῶμα koma, meaning deep sleep) is a profound state of unconsciousness. A person in a coma cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to pain, light or sound, does not have sleep-wake cycles, and does not take voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma can be described as comatose.

Coma may result from a variety of conditions, including intoxication, metabolic abnormalities, central nervous system diseases, acute neurologic injuries such as stroke, and hypoxia. A coma may also result from head trauma caused by mechanisms such as falls or car accidents. It may also be deliberately induced by pharmaceutical agents in order to preserve higher brain function following another form of brain trauma, or to save the patient from extreme pain during healing of injuries or diseases. The underlying cause of coma is bilateral damage to the Reticular formation of the hindbrain, which is important in regulating sleep.
In the initial assessment of coma, it is common to gauge the level of consciousness by spontaneously exhibited actions, response to vocal stimuli ("Can you hear me?"), and painful stimuli; this is known as the AVPU (alert, vocal stimuli, painful stimuli, unconscious) scale. More elaborate scales, such as the Glasgow coma scale (see below), quantify individual reactions such as eye opening, movement and verbal response on a scale.

In those with deep unconsciousness, there is a risk of asphyxiation as the control over the muscles in the face and throat is diminished. As a result, those presenting to a hospital with coma are typically assessed for this risk ("airway management"). If the risk of asphyxiation is deemed to be high, doctors may use various devices (such as an oropharyngeal airway, nasopharyngeal airway or endotracheal tube) to safeguard the airway.

The outcome for coma and vegetative state depends on the cause, location, severity and extent of neurological damage. A deeper coma alone does not necessarily mean a slimmer chance of recovery, because some people in deep coma recover well while others in a so-called milder coma sometimes fail to improve.

19 comments:

xtina said...

Do androids dream of electric sheep?
(dreaming is a proof of consciousness)

when one does not have sleep-wake cycles, how conscious can he be?

Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is admirable, complete (composed of an introduction, a middle part and an ending)

xtina said...

comedy-"It may also be deliberately induced by pharmaceutical agents in order to preserve higher brain function following another form of brain trauma, or to save the patient from extreme pain during healing of injuries or diseases."

tragedy-"In the initial assessment of coma, it is common to gauge the level of consciousness by spontaneously exhibited actions, response to vocal stimuli ("Can you hear me?"), and painful stimuli; this is known as the AVPU (alert, vocal stimuli, painful stimuli, unconscious) scale."

Anwer Pasha said...

As for as My study concerns (Personal- Ian not a health care personal) Patients in deep coma in two weeks are more do not emerge as Persistent Vegetative or Minimally Conscious State.If they are woke up ,They are close to normal.The persons in a kind of 'brain shock' are slightly differ to the deep coma and they may be aware at that stage too but not able to communicate.

xtina said...

My personal experience is that it takes a good reason to come out of a state of bliss and come back to a painful reality.You need to find someone worth the effort for doing so, and that can be only someone you love. Usually that person imagines your state to such a degree as to feel emotional and physical pain as well.Motivation thus can only be altruistic (its not yourself that you try to save-you might even like being in a "brain shock" state- you make this effort to release the other).Thank you for your comment.

Anwer Pasha said...

xtina. Thank you.
This is not imagination.Not only PVS son has recovered as fully conscious and aware but we are more successful with others.My son and other are still without any motor function. I told my son just now about your comments so he sent a smile for you.

xtina said...

Hello Anwer.What I meant by "imagine" , is something very real.We recreate feelings in our mind.That's probably how we learn.If you want to read more, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_neurons
You are certainly a great father-I wish more fathers would be like you.I wish you all the best, give your son a big hug from me. And please let me know about his progress.Have a good day

xtina said...

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/dan_dennett_on_our_consciousness.html

there are some very interesting comments by people who recovered from coma


Colleen Steen:Sep 27 2009: I cannot speak for "all humans", but I can share my own experience after a near fatal brain injury. While "unconscious" in ICU for two weeks, on life support systems, I was much more conscious of the bigger picture. I was aware of thoughts/feelings of those around me, could hear them, and feel their energy. Prior to the injury, I had no religious orientation, and still do not have a religious orientation. Based on my experience, I believe that our soul lives on, and disagree that when one is comatose/unconscious he/she is not aware of anything. There are many levels of consciousness/awareness. I was aware of much more, on a different level, when I was labeled unconscious. In my interactions with those labeled with "disorders", I find that we can connect on a different level if we open our minds and hearts to that possibility.

xtina said...

separator-radiohead

It's like I'm falling out of bed
From a long, weary dream
The sweetest flowers and fruits hang from the trees
Falling off the giant bird that’s been carrying me
It's like I'm falling out of bed from a long and weary dream

Just exactly as I remember
Every word
Every gesture
I'm a heart in cold ground

Like I'm falling out of bed
From a long and weary dream
Finally I'm free of all the weight I've been carrying

Every woman blows her cover
In the eye of the beholder
I'm a fish now out of water

Falling off a giant bird that's been carrying me

I fell open
I laid under
At the tip out
I was just a number

I wanna slip it over
And get back under
And if you think this is over then
You're wrong
If you think this is over then
You're wrong

(Wake me up, wake me up)

If you think this is over then
You're wrong
If you think this is over then
You're wrong

(Wake me up, wake me up)

Like I'm falling out of bed from a long and weary dream
Finally I'm free of all the weight I've been carrying

When I ask you again
When I ask you again

(Wake me up, wake me up)

Anwer Pasha said...

This is very nice. I am sorry that I am not able to say more due to my poor English but it sounds good .My son is little more better. It is a struggle . We are inching forward.
But I hope we could see others improving more fast with the help of this experience. It is always nice to see some thing from you.

xtina said...

I wish you and your son all the best.my thought is with you

xtina said...

και πότε περιμένεις να της το πεις καλέ μου;τι φοβάσαι;αν το αντέχεις εσύ, θα το αντέξει κι εκείνη.αυτό που δεν θα αντέξει είναι οτι της κρύβεσαι
χ

xtina said...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20110515/sc_livescience/selfcompassionthemostimportantlifeskill

Anonymous said...

Το άρθρο είναι τόσο μπερδεμένο, που μπορεί ο καθένας μας να το διαβάσει με όποιον τρόπο θέλει, και να καταλήξει στο ένα ή στο άλλο σωστό ή λάθος συμπέρασμα. Και θα 'χει "δίκιο" όπου και να καταλήξει.

Θα μπορούσε κάποιος να μπει και στον πειρασμό να αλλάξει και τον τίτλο του ποστ σε: "Can you hear you?" ή ακόμα και σε "Can I hear me?"...

Cans...

(ο δεν υπογράφω και συγνώμην για την ενόχληση)

xtina said...

αυτό που είναι σίγουρα ξεκάθαρο
είναι πως το να βρίσκεις τα νέα μου σχόλια
δεν οφείλεται στο κληρονομικό σου χάρισμα

για μένα δεν υπάρχει κανένα μπέρδεμα
και δεν συνεχίζω να παίζω άλλο με αυτούς τους όρους
τέλος

xtina said...

there is an Eve to meet Adam
carrying a message from the angels
welcome

xtina said...

on 30/9/12
angel's sign on the back of painting
blue room
oikia karapanou

xtina said...

it takes one to forgive one
to get the message

xtina said...

and one has to repent in order to forgive

xtina said...

on 30/8/12