Medicine for Personal Injury Lawyers

Brien Roche

Any personal injury lawyer needs to know a great deal about medicine. Medicine in large measure is knowing the human body. This blogpost is designed to give an overview of how the human body functions.

Medicine for Personal Injury Lawyers – Electricity

The most important component of the human body is electricity. The body’s ability to function is based upon electrical current passing through the body.

Electrical current is the flow of electrons. However electrons don’t like to flow through wet objects. The body is wet. Sixty-six percent (66%) of the body is water.

As such the atoms that allow electricity to flow through the body are not electrons but rather are ions. Ions are atoms. Those ions are the signals that are transmitted from cell to cell to tell body parts what to do. For instance if you touch a hot stove, a signal is sent that the stove is hot. Therefore the hand must be removed. That signal is a digital signal much like what your computer uses. It is simply electrical impulses passing from cell to cell. The signal tells the hand to get off the stove.

Positives and Negatives

The ions within the human body are positives and negatives. Likewise cells may be positives and negatives. Resting cells are negatively charged on the inside. The outside of the cell is more positively charged. This is due to the slight imbalance between positive and negative ions inside or outside the cell. Each cell has a membrane. That membrane is a covering. Furthermore that membrane is the conduit for the electrical charge from inside the cell to the area outside of the cell.

The ability of the human body to convey electricity is in large measure a product of the right balance of certain things such as potassium and sodium. Potassium and sodium ions carry a positive charge. There are other minerals and elements that carry negative charges. Those positive ions in the right balance are especially important because, as mentioned above, a cell at rest tends to be negatively charged. The right balance of sodium and potassium creates that balance between negativity and positivity that allows the passage of electricity through your body.

External Charges

Sometimes electricity can be added to your body from the outside. The receipt by the body of such an electrical charge can be a problem. That electric shock can interrupt the normal operation of the body. In other words it is like a power surge. With a power surge the electrical conductors can be fried. That frying process causes physical injury to the body. 

Balance

I started this blog with a discussion of electricity because it’s important. It’s important to understand that there has to be a right balance of those ions that allow conductivity. If your potassium and/or sodium levels fall too low, your body may not be able to conduct electricity. If your body is overhydrated, then these important elements may not be able to properly conduct electricity. In addition with underhydration the same may occur. That’s why it’s so important to understand the proper balance of these ions and the proper balance of hydration.

Without electricity, you cannot walk. Without electricity, you could not sit down. No electricity and you could not read this blogpost. Most importantly electricity is what allows you to do everything that you do.

There are certain things that are not very good conductors of electricity. One of them is sugar. Sugar in fact is not a conductor at all. If your body has too much sugar in it, then electricity cannot flow. If electricity cannot flow, then nutrients cannot get to the extremities. That is the problem with diabetes. Diabetics do not produce insulin. Insulin breaks down sugar. As a result, they have too much sugar in their body. Too much sugar means a bad flow of electricity.

A bad flow of electricity means overall poor health. That’s why when dealing with diabetics, most doctors will say that all bets are off. Therefore if electricity is not flowing properly then none of the systems within the body can function well.  

Medicine for Personal Injury Lawyers – The Neurological System

The neurological system is addressed in another blogpost on this site. See Personal Injury Anatomy-Nervous System.

The neurological system is based upon electricity. Electricity is conducted from cell to cell. There are about 75 trillion cells in your body. 

Cells

Cells break down. They are replaced as a result of DNA messaging. DNA forms into bundles that are called “chromosomes”. Every human being has 46 chromosomes in every cell with the exception of sex cells. Sex cells are the egg and the sperm. Each sex cell has 23 chromosomes. Once the two form together, then they have a total of 46 chromosomes. Those chromosomes carrying the DNA create the message that allows proteins to form in their proper way within each cell. Each cell is the building block of the human body. Those messenger atoms are known as “RNA”. They convey the DNA messaging which tells the proteins how to form in order to replace cells as they die. 

Cancer

Cancer is referred to as a disease of the elderly. It is principally a disease of the elderly because the DNA messaging referenced above breaks down. That breakdown of messaging means that proteins that are being sent to the cells to replace dead tissue are not being properly programmed. That improper programming means that they may be misplaced or it could mean a host of other problems. However the result is that you have abnormal cell growth which is what cancer is. For more information on cancer, see the blogpost on this site entitled, “Medical Malpractice – Cancer Treatment“

We talk about atoms and cells. It’s important to understand the difference. At one time it was thought that atoms were the smallest building block of life. We now know that there are subatomic particles. Two atoms joined together form a molecule. Many molecules may then form a cell. Cells then form organisms. There are some living organisms that consist only of one cell. For instance bacteria. The human body has trillions of cells. As those cells die, they are replaced with new cells due to the DNA and RNA messaging which organize the proteins that comprise the cells.

Headquarters

The brain is the most important part of the neurological system. It is 85% water. The brain weighs 3 pounds. It looks like wrinkled pudding. The brain is composed of cells. Those cells might also be called neurons. The neurons are surrounded by myelin which is a type of wrapping. It is no different than an electrical wire that has a wrapping around it. It keeps the messages from going astray. You would think that the brain is very sensitive because of the congregation of neurons within the brain. However the inner part of the brain has no pain or touch receptors of its own. As a result conceivably brain surgery could be performed without any anesthesia. 

It’s important to understand that the brain literally is headquarters. Hence it controls everything. It controls your ability to think. The brain controls your emotions. It controls your sight, hearing and taste.

When people have a brain injury, they think that means that there is necessarily going to be some loss in cognition. However the brain injury may not affect cognition. It may simply affect emotion. Maybe it simply affects taste. It may simply affect hearing. It may simply affect sight.

Upper Cortex

The most important mental processing takes place in the upper part of the brain. That part is called the “cerebral cortex”. When we think of  higher level thoughts, think of the higher part of the brain. That is what sets us apart from all other living creatures. So the brain controls not only cognition but it controls emotion. It controls reflexes to some extent.

I gave the example of the hot stove previously. Touching a hot stove creates a reflex reaction. Technically a reflect reaction does not involve the brain. Instead a reflex reaction is an impulse that travels to the spinal cord and right back again without going to the brain. The reflex is what makes the hand pull away from the hot stove before the pain is even registered in the brain. When the doctor taps your knee area with a small hammer, that is a reflex. That reflex reaction is created without the sensation first going to the brain. 

Taste

Taste begins with your tongue. Your tongue has 9,000 taste buds. Those taste buds contain nerve endings that are called “receptors”. Each receptor can sense 1 of 4 different tastes. Those tastes are sweet, salty, bitter and sour. Those receptors convey that message to the brain and the brain then creates the information that what is on the tongue is sweet or sour or whatever it may be.

Sight

Your 2 eyes receive 75% of all body sensation. At the back of the eye is a screen called “the retina”. It is composed of various sensitive cells that are about the size of a postage stamp. The human eye can pick up as many as 10,000,000 gradations of light and color. The human eye is so sensitive that it can detect a match being lit 50 miles away on a moonlit night. Astronauts in outer space can see waves made by ships at sea. In addition an owl can see a mouse stirring 165 feet away.

The retina at the back of the eye picks up new images at the rate of about 10 per second. Within the eye there is a dark pigment known as “melanin”. It darkens the inside of the eye. This sharpens the images on the retina. It functions the same way that darkening the room shows sharper pictures on the TV screen in the room. 

Light passes through the pupil of the eye. The light then hits the lens. Tiny muscles then adjust the shape of the lens, thereby focusing the image on the retina. 

The eye is protected by the bony socket around it and also by the eyebrows which shade the eyes from sunlight and also hold back sweat from the forehead. The eyeball itself is a white globe that is about the size of a golf ball. Also eyelids protect the eye. They blink every 3 to 7 seconds. They keep dust and dirt out of the eye, plus they lubricate the cover of the eyeball. 

Hearing

The ear has 2 functions. Hearing and balance. Sounds are gathered by the outside part of the ear transmitted through the canal to the eardrum. The eardrum vibrates. Those vibrations are passed along tiny bones to a fluid-filled tube. Inside that tube are a number of hairs that are floating. The hairs convey those vibrations as analog messages. The brain converts the analog to digital. We like to think that we see with our eyes, smell with our nose and that hear with our ears. In contrast we see with our brain, we hear with our brain and we smell with our brain.

The Nose

Air is drawn in through the nostrils. It passes through a nasal cavity before it enters the windpipe. Within the nasal cavity there are receptors. Those receptors receive particles in the air. Those receptors then send a message to the brain which has to be analyzed. The brain in effect converts it to a digital message which tells the brain whether or not the odor is pleasant or unpleasant. If unpleasant then the nose may produce a sneeze to reject the unpleasant particles. Most of us can differentiate as many as 4,000 different types of odors. However a well-trained nose such as that of a wine expert may be able to appreciate up to 10,000 different odors. 

Medicine for Personal Injury Lawyers – the Cardiovascular System

This system likewise is addressed in another blogpost on this site found at Personal Injury Anatomy-Cardiovascular System. 

Your heart is about the size of a fist. It is positioned between two lungs. It is surrounded by a bag that is called the “pericardium”. The pericardium keeps the heart in place.

The heart is just a pump. The pump functions as a result of the electricity we previously discussed.

The first organ to receive oxygen-rich blood from the heart is the heart itself. That is, the heart has to feed the heart. This oxygen-rich blood comes from the coronary arteries that turn back into the heart. 

The heart functions because of blood. Blood is 90% water.

Medicine for Personal Injury Lawyers – the Respiratory System

The respiratory system consist of the mouth, the nose, the airway known as the trachea and the lungs. 

Under the lungs is a large flat dome shaped muscle called the diaphragm. When the diaphragm moves down a vacuum is created drawing air down the windpipe into the lungs. When the diaphragm relaxes and moves up, the air in the lungs is squeezed out.

The Diaphragm

The diaphragm separates the abdomen from the chest. Also it increases pressure to get rid of vomit, urine and feces. Also it puts pressure on the esophagus to prevent acid reflux. The phrenic nerve runs from the neck to the diaphragm and controls the diaphragm . There are three openings in the diaphragm: for the esophagus, the aorta and the vena cava. A hiatal hernia is where the stomach bulges through the esophageal opening. Other diaphragmatic hernias can occur where abdominal organs bulge through the diaphragm into the chest.

The airway or the windpipe is called the trachea. As this airway moves towards the lungs, it breaks into two branches called “bronchi”. Each one goes to one of the lungs. The bronchi then divide further into sprouts or twigs that convey air to the different parts of the lungs. The lungs are able to extract from the air the oxygen. That oxygen then is absorbed into the blood and distributed to the body. The unwanted air may be ejected from the body through a sneeze or it may be ejected from the body simply through exhalation along with carbon dioxide. That carbon dioxide is then absorbed by other living creatures such as plants and serves as the basis for their growth.

Medicine for Personal Injury Lawyers – the Digestive System

The digestive system begins with your mouth and tongue. Food and drink pass into the esophagus to the stomach. A flap over the airway prevents food and liquid from going down the airway.

As food enters your mouth, the churning process begins. Digestive juices in hydrochloric acid soften the food and turn it into a thick soup in the stomach. It then passes into the duodenum. That is the entranceway to the small intestines. More digestive juices are added by the liver and the pancreas. It then passes into the small intestines which is where most of the absorption occurs. The food then passes into the large intestines where much of the water is then extracted from the residue. What is left is the feces which eventually arrives in the rectum anywhere from 24 to 36 hours after the food is consumed. 

Digestion

The esophagus is approximately 10 inches long. It serves to not only transport food but it also squeezes the food and compresses it.

The small intestine is about 16 feet long. 

The liver is your largest internal organ. It is important for enzyme production. Enzymes are an important part of digestion. The liver performs a number of functions. It makes most of the proteins in blood plasma. Also it neutralizes poisons. The liver produces bile which acts as a type of detergent to break down greases and oils. Its main companion is the pancreas which also produces digestive enzymes.

Medicine for Personal Injury Lawyers – Defensive Systems

The primary defensive system of the body is the skin. It is the largest organ of your body. It can weigh as much as 9 pounds in an adult.

In cold weather, skin reduces heat loss by compressing the warm blood into the deeper parts of the body away from the cold air. 

Also the skin eliminates waste from the body. This waste may come in the form of ammonia. It is ejected from the body in the form of sweat. Also the skin receives nutrition. When the skin is exposed to sunlight, it turns that sunlight into vitamin D which is important for healthy bones. 

The skin consists of 3 layers. The outer layer is what we see. A middle layer contains blood vessels, nerves, hair roots and also sweat glands. The lowest layer is a bed of fat that keeps the body warm. These layers advance slowly towards the surface. It takes about 35 to 45 days for the deepest layer to advance up to the outer-most layer. As it becomes the outer-most layer eventually it is rubbed off. You lose millions of dead skin cells everyday. A large amount of the dust that you find in your home is actually flakes of dead skin.

Hair and Nails

The hair and nails are forms of skin. They are made of keratin which is a hard protein.

In cold weather, muscles in the skin cause the hair to stand upright. This traps the heat and keeps the heat within the body. On those parts of the body where there is no hair, the muscles in the skin produce goosebumps. Also these goosebumps help to trap the heat inside the body.

The nails are a form of skin. However the nail itself actually is dead. That’s why it doesn’t hurt when you cut your nails. At the end of each finger is a print. Those ridges remain with you throughout your life. Every human being has different ridges that form the fingerprint. This is even true of identical twins. 

Medicine for Personal Injury Lawyers – the Immune System

The immune system works in 2 ways. It has white cells that gobble up germs. Also it produces antibodies that can attack invaders. The immune system is linked with what is called the “lymphatic system”. The lymphatic system consists of a clear fluid called “lymph”. This lymph travels slowly around your body alongside the blood vessels. 

As the lymph flows towards the heart, it passes through areas called “lymph nodes”. Those nodes are filters. White cells within the nodes are ready to destroy invaders either by eating them or forming antibodies that defeat them.

Invaders

When the body is confronted with a new invader, it needs time to develop antibodies. It could take a few days before those antibodies are formed. In the meantime, the invaders could cause some damage. The immune system has a memory. If it is dealing with an invader that it has met before, it can deal with that invader promptly. However if it is dealing with a new invader, it needs time to adapt.

The lymph nodes referred to above are spread throughout the body. There are hundreds of them. 

An important part of the immune system is the spleen. It is the source of antibodies. Also the spleen destroys old red cells that are no longer functioning. 

Medicine for Personal Injury Lawyers – the Skeletal and Muscular System

The skeletal system consists of bone. Bone is hard and compact. However the inside of the bone is spongey. It actually looks like a honeycomb. The core of the long bones contain a soft fatty substance called “marrow”. This is where the blood cells are made. Your body has 206 bones. 

Knee

The largest joint in the body is the knee. The knee is the joinder of the femur which is the thigh bone and the tibia which is the calf bone. At the ends of each of those bones there is cartilage (the meniscus) which acts as a cushion. There are also ligaments along the side of the joint (collateral) which control movement of the joint. Inside the joint are crossing ligaments that are called “cruciate ligaments” that provide support for the joint. The ones in front are called “anterior”. The ones behind are called “posterior”.

The knee joint is protected by the kneecap. The kneecap is embedded in a large tendon. Tendons are straps of tissue that join muscles to bones. On the other hand ligaments join bone to bone. 

Shoulder

The most mobile of your joints is the shoulder joint. It actually consists of 2 joints. The primary joint involves the humerus bone which fits into a socket. It is held in place by the rotator cuff which consists of 4 different muscles and their tendons. The other shoulder joint is that of the clavicle and the shoulder blade. Overall the shoulder joint is the most mobile of all of your joints.

Vertebrae

The vertebrae are also known as the spinal column. There are 26 vertebral bones. They are linked together by strong ligaments, tendons and muscles. At each level of the vertebral column, there are in effect two joints. There is the joint between the vertebral body. This joint is cushioned by a gelatinous disc. This disc can break causing what is called a herniated disc. Also there is the joint between what are called “the facets”, which provides support for the back. The back has a normal curvature to it. That curvature at 2 different points is referred to as “the lordosis”. A straightening of the lordosis means that there is muscle cramping, typically from injury, that is causing the lordotic curve to flatten. 

Muscles

The bones in the body in large measure are held together by the muscles. The word “muscle” literally comes from little mouse. There are 650 of them. 

The muscles tend to work in pairs. One muscle may allow for extension. The other muscle allows for flexion. At the end of each muscle, the fibers join with a tendon which anchors the muscle to the bones. Those tendons are a tough cord that join with the fibers of the muscle.

The muscles not only provide strength but they can also provide heat. When your body gets cold, the brain sends a message to the muscles to begin shivering. That shivering generates heat.

The largest portion of your body is made of muscle. Almost 40% of the human body is muscle.

Medicine for Personal Injury Lawyers – the Urological System

The urological system consists of the kidneys, the bladder, the ureter and the urethra. Think of the kidneys as a washing machine. They wash the blood. The impurities from the blood are then transmitted through the ureter to the bladder where they are stored. Periodically the bladder empties itself through the urethra.

The kidneys are in the middle of your back at the level of your elbows. They are protected by your lower ribs and surrounding pad of fat. 

The bladder is a muscle that holds about a quart of urine. Urine is 95% water and 5% urea. Overall your body is 66% water.

An inguinal hernia can affect the urological system. It involves tissue, such as the intestine, protruding through a weak spot. In men that weak spot is usually in the inguinal canal where the spermatic cord enters the scrotum. In addition in women hernias may occur where the connective tissue from the uterus connects to the pubic bone.

Medicine for Personal Injury Lawyers – the Communication Systems

The best communicator within your body is the neurological system. Think of this as email or text message. 

The other communication system within your body is the endocrine system. Think of this as the U.S. mail.

Hormones

These messages are sent through hormones. They are produced by the endocrine glands. These endocrine glands do not have ducts. They release their secretions directly into the bloodstream. The bloodstream then transmits the hormones.

There are two types of hormones. One type controls levels of water, sugar and salt in your body and prepares your body for flight in the event of an emergency. The other hormone is more long-term. It controls growth and development. 

The master gland within your body is the pituitary gland which is deep in the brain. 

The hormone that you probably are familiar with is adrenalin. It is what sends the message to your heart to beat faster, to your lungs to take in more air, to your liver to release more sugar into the bloodstream and to the bloodstream to send more blood to your leg muscles to allow you to run faster to get away from that tiger that is chasing you.

Thyroid

The largest endocrine gland is the thyroid. The thyroid controls your metabolism. Your metabolism is the activity level of your body. It controls how quickly you digest food. Also it controls how quickly you do virtually everything. Another gland is the pancreas. One of the functions of the pancreas is to create insulin. Insulin is what breaks down sugar in your body and prevents you from becoming a diabetic.  

Let an Experienced Lawyer in the DMV Assist You

Call, or contact us for a free consult. Also for more info on anatomy see the Wikipedia pages. Also see the post on this site dealing with medical malpractice issues.