Why I Got Crushed By A Few Hundred Lbs Of Dirt During An Outdoor Activity ?

Posted on Sat, 23 May 2020

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 23 May 2020 Answered on

4 days ago Last reviewed on

Question : I got crushed by a few hundred lbs of dirt during an outdoor activity and now I feel about a 6-9 on the pain scale with the higher values being when i raise my voice or move too much. The back side of my shoulder hurts about a 7 at any given moment and my ribs also feel horrible. Immediately proceeding the dirt falling on me I felt dizzy and my vision seemed to go black especially around the edges while slightly struggling to walk.

Answered by Dr. Prof. Kunal Saha (42 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Immediate medical attention needed

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for using the Ask a Doctor service.

I have gone carefully through your query and understand your concern. The first thing that I would convey to you is that THIS IS SERIOUS AND YOU NEED TO SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE.

The salient points are:
- The dirt could have entered your lungs and could be blocking the gaseous exchange in the lungs. There could also be blood in your lungs (and other parts of the body as well).
- Your chest muscles as well as ribs could have been damaged and that could compromise your respiration.
- You possibly have suffered soft tissue injury around your shoulder and possibly in other parts of your body.

Please call the emergency services or go to a hospital without delay.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana