How does coma start

Accessed Nov. Daroff RB, et al. Stupor and coma. Bradley's Neurology in Clinical Practice. Elsevier; Young GB. Stupor and coma in adults. Coma information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. A coma can also be caused by severe alcohol poisoning or a brain infection encephalitis.

People with diabetes could fall into a coma if their blood glucose levels suddenly became very low hypoglycaemia or very high hyperglycaemia. Someone who is in a coma is unconscious and has minimal brain activity.

They're alive, but can't be woken up and show no signs of being aware. The person's eyes will be closed and they'll appear to be unresponsive to their environment. They won't normally respond to sound or pain, or be able to communicate or move voluntarily. Someone in a coma will also have very reduced basic reflexes such as coughing and swallowing. They may be able to breathe on their own, although some people require a machine to help them breathe.

Over time, the person may start to gradually regain consciousness and become more aware. Some people will wake up after a few weeks, while others may go into a vegetative state or minimally conscious state see recovering from a coma , below.

Doctors assess a person's level of consciousness using a tool called the Glasgow Coma Scale. This level is monitored constantly for signs of improvement or deterioration. The Glasgow Coma Scale assesses three things:. Most people in a coma will have a total score of eight or less. A lower score means someone may have experienced more severe brain damage and could be less likely to recover.

In the short term, a person in a coma will normally be looked after in an intensive care unit ICU. Treatment involves ensuring their condition is stable and their body functions, such as breathing and blood pressure, are supported while the underlying cause is treated. In the longer term, healthcare staff will give supportive treatment on a hospital ward. Someone in a coma usually needs to be cared for in the intensive care unit ICU of the hospital. There, the person can get extra care and attention from doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff.

They make sure the person gets fluids, nutrients, and any medicines needed to keep the body as healthy as possible. These are sometimes given through a tiny plastic tube inserted in a vein or through a feeding tube that brings fluids and nutrients directly to the stomach.

Some comatose people are unable to breathe on their own and need the help of a ventilator say: VEN-tih-lay-ter , a machine that pumps air into the lungs through a tube placed in the windpipe. The hospital staff also tries to prevent bedsores in someone who is comatose. Bedsores are open sores on the body that come from lying in one place for too long without moving at all.

It can be very upsetting and frustrating for a person's family to see someone they love in a coma, and they may feel scared and helpless. But they can help take care of the person. Taking time to visit the hospital and read to, talk to, and even play music for the patient are important because it's possible that the person may be able to hear what's going on, even if he or she can't respond.

Usually, a coma does not last more than a few weeks. Sometimes, however, a person stays in a coma for a long time — even years — and will be able to do very little except breathe on his or her own.