What are some things that can happen to a person while they are in a coma?

Answer 1

I don't know why you're asking this question--I hope no one you love is in a coma. First of all, the person loses muscle tone. It's very important that a person in a coma have some kind of physical therapy to lessen the degree of muscle wasting as well as to prevent contractures. It is also important that the patient's position be changed at least every two hours so that he doesn't get skin breakdown (bedsores) or pneumonia from lack of complete expansion of his lungs and loss of the ability to cough. There are special beds that can do this automatically. If the coma lasts for more than a day or two, it will be necessary to provide nutrition and fluids either by IV or through a tube in the stomach. Sometimes a urinary catheter is used initially, but people who have been in comas for a long time usually wear adult diapers.

It may be necessary at some point to provide mechanical respiratory assistance in the form of a ventilator. This is a tough decision for families to make. Like I said, I don't know why you're asking, but I wish you and yours well.

Answer 2

The last answer was the best.

Please ignore the answer that suggested you could get alzheimers, HIV, etc., while in a coma. Alzheimer's is not contagious, and the only way a comatose patient could contract HIV is if they were raped or received a blood transfusion from someone who is HIV positive.

Loss of muscle tone and bedsores are the most common problems, as the last answer explained.

What I can't answer is what the person will be like when/if they wake up. This depends on what put them in a coma to begin with.

Answer 3

Well, I think anything could happen to a person. Heart attack, stroke, blood clots, alzheimers, contract blood poisioning, HIV, develop AIDS or even have organ or multiorgan failure.
It would probably be a very scary time for a family if their loved one is in a coma. There is so much uncertainty, and the bills will continue to pile up for an unknown period of time. I don't think many people can really prepare for this except have health or disabilty insurance.

Answer 4

If they are not wearing shoes and are in a coma for a long time, then their ankles can get stretched to the point where it is hard for them to flex their feet or stand once they recover. That is why people in the ICU who are expected to recover are sometimes seen wearing shoes.