Machine Crush Injury In Hand - Know More!

Machine injuries in hand, as the name suggests, occurs when a part of your hand – the palm, wrist, or arm – gets caught between machinery or sustains severe injuries under the influence of a high magnitude force.
Industrial and factory workers whose job role involves working with or around machine equipment are at risk of getting machine crush hand injuries.

Symptoms

The symptoms of machine crush hand injuries depend on the type of injury. For minor injuries, such as fingers getting trapped in a machine, the symptoms may be mild –

• Lacerations
• Bruises
• Moderate pain

For major crush injuries that happen due to high impact forces or for a prolonged time, the damages are severe and usually are seen below the skin, affecting the bones, tissues, and muscles. In case the injury leads to loss of blood supply, damage to the tissues and muscles could be grave, and in rare cases, may lead to paralysis. Symptoms include –

• Severe bruising
• Open wounds
• Damage to the skin layers
• Extreme pain

If left untreated, the open wounds could become infectious and acquire deformity. In extreme cases, this may even lead to amputation. Worst cases of machine crush injuries may reveal symptoms like –

• Swollen skin
• Paralysis of the arms
• Loss of pulse in the injured hand
• A tingling sensation in the injured hand

Treatment for Machine Crush Injuries

Treatment depends on the severity of the injury.

• If you sustain minor damages, cleaning the wound with disinfectant and clean water should suffice. First aid is immediately required to stop bleeding and address bruises.
• Applying ice packs on the injured limb or hand can help ease pain
• For mild to moderate crush injuries, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics to avoid the risk of infection
• Severe cases are treated with fasciotomy. It is a surgical procedure, which involves cutting the fascia to release pressure or tension and restore the flow of blood to the muscles and tissues. In some cases, multiple surgeries are required to repair the nerves, tendons, and muscles completely.

If you have undergone traumatic machine crush injuries, industrial accidents, or if your hands have been stuck between machines, under heavy weights for long hours, you are advised to consult a doctor at the earliest.