What's a Coma? Coma Causes , Coma Types , Symptoms of a Coma

 What's a Coma?

An extended period of unconsciousness is called a coma. A person in a coma is not aware of their surroundings. The individual appears to be sleeping but is actually alive. But unlike when they are in a deep slumber, they are not susceptible to pain or other forms of stimuli waking them up.

Coma Causes

A brain damage is the cause of a coma. Toxin accumulation, elevated blood pressure, hemorrhage, oxygen deprivation, and brain damage are all possible causes. Both transient and reversible injuries are possible. It might possibly last forever.

More than half of comas are caused by head injuries or problems with the blood supply to the brain. Issues that may result in a coma consist of:

Anoxic brain damage is a condition in which the brain receives no oxygen at all. Brain tissues experience cell death after just a few minutes of oxygen deprivation. Heart attacks (cardiac arrest), head trauma, drowning, drug overdoses, and poisoning can all cause anoxic brain damage.

Trauma: Brain edema and/or bleeding can result from head injuries. The fluid presses up on the skull when the brain swells due to trauma. The reticular activating system (RAS), a region of the brain that controls alertness and consciousness, may eventually suffer harm as a result of the swelling pushing on the brain stem.

Brain tissue can swell even in the absence of discomfort. Hormones, low oxygen levels, and electrolyte imbalances can all occasionally result in edema.

Bleeding: Because bleeding in the brain's layers can compress and swell the affected side of the brain, it can put a person in a coma. The brain shifts as a result of this compression, harming the brainstem and the RAS (as was previously indicated). Lesions, elevated blood pressure, and burst cerebral aneurysms are examples of non-traumatic brain hemorrhage causes.
Stroke: A coma may result from blood loss coupled with edema or from a substantial portion of the brain losing blood supply.

Blood sugar: When blood sugar levels remain extremely high in diabetics, a coma may develop. It's referred to as hyperglycemia. Too low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can potentially result in a coma. Once the blood sugar is brought back under control, this kind of coma is typically curable. Prolonged hypoglycemia, however, might result in chronic coma and irreversible brain damage.

Deprivation of oxygen: The brain need oxygen to function. Hypoxia or anoxia, an abrupt cessation of blood flow and oxygen to the brain, is a result of cardiac arrest. Survivors of cardiac arrest are frequently in a coma following cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Choking or drowning can also result in oxygen deprivation.

Coma Types

Some coma types are as follows:


Toxic-metabolic brain injury. Confusion and/or delirium are indications of an acute brain malfunctioning disease. Most of the time, the illness is curable. There are several causes of toxic-metabolic encephalopathy. They consist of infections, organ failure, systemic sickness, and other ailments. 

chronic vegetative state. A severe condition of unconsciousness is this. The individual is unable to move voluntarily and has no awareness of their environment. A person in a persistent vegetative condition may awaken, but their brain function remains unchanged. There are breathing, circulation, and sleep-wake cycles in a chronic vegetative state.

medically brought about. This kind of brief coma, or profound unconsciousness, is meant to prevent brain edema following an injury while enabling the body to mend. An anesthetic administered in a prescribed dosage renders the patient unconscious. The patient's vitals are then continuously monitored by the doctors. Only hospital intensive care units (ICUs) experience this.

diabetic. Individuals with uncontrolled diabetes may go into a coma if their blood glucose (sugar) levels are abnormally high or low. This is a potentially fatal problem. Insulin is required if your blood sugar level is too high for too long (hyperglycemia). If not, ketoacidosis, which can cause a coma, may occur. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, prevents your brain from receiving enough energy to function normally, which can lead to a coma. If treatment for any kind of coma is delayed, it may result in death.

psychological anoxia. This kind of coma is brought on by the brain not getting enough oxygen. A heart attack, choking, drowning, and numerous other incidents could be the cause. Brain cells start to die if the brain doesn't get adequate oxygen.

Symptoms of a Coma

A person in a coma may appear to be sleeping, but there are telltale indications and symptoms that indicate this is not the case. Among them are:

It is impossible to wake them up.
Their eyes remain motionless (deep coma). Their eyes do not move or blink in response to you lifting their lids.
When you lift their eyelids and flash a light into their eyes, their pupils do not dilate (widen).
They are in a deep coma and lack motor reflexes. They do not recoil or react when you put pressure on a particular area of their body.
Their respiration is erratic.
Depending on what caused the coma, their blood pressure could be either higher or lower than usual. 

Depending on what caused the coma, their blood pressure could be either higher or lower than usual.
It's possible for their muscles to draw in at odd angles.

A coma injury refers to damage to the brain resulting in a coma, which is a state of unconsciousness where an individual cannot be awakened, doesn't respond to stimuli, and cannot voluntarily move or speak. Comas can occur due to various causes, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, brain tumors, infections, metabolic disorders, drug overdose, or oxygen deprivation.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one common cause of coma. It can result from a severe blow or jolt to the head, such as those sustained in car accidents, falls, or physical assaults. In a coma caused by TBI, the brain experiences physical damage due to impact or acceleration/deceleration forces, leading to temporary or prolonged loss of consciousness.

The severity and duration of a coma can vary widely depending on the extent of brain damage and the underlying cause. Some individuals may emerge from a coma relatively quickly with minimal lasting effects, while others may remain in a coma for an extended period or experience long-term cognitive, physical, or behavioral impairments even after regaining consciousness.

Treatment and prognosis for coma injuries depend on various factors, including the cause and severity of the injury, the presence of other injuries or medical conditions, and the individual's overall health. Medical management typically involves stabilizing the individual, monitoring vital signs, preventing further injury, and addressing any underlying issues such as brain swelling or bleeding.

Rehabilitation plays a crucial role in helping individuals recover from coma injuries. This may include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and cognitive rehabilitation to regain lost skills, improve mobility, and maximize independence.

It's important for family members and caregivers to work closely with healthcare professionals to understand the individual's condition, participate in their care, and provide support during the recovery process. The outcome of coma injuries can vary significantly, and recovery may be gradual and unpredictable, requiring patience, perseverance, and ongoing medical care.