Your body may be trying to tell you something.

[Jazzer]

A fellow rider recently died after a minor accident. A few weeks later I was having lunch with a doctor friend and told him about it. I told him the rider complained about left shoulder pain but didn’t think he hit his shoulder. My doctor friend said that is often a symptom of a ruptured spleen. He said any first year med student would know that. I told him we’re not all med students.

Once while riding in some extreme heat my friend was following and exited the freeway. When I finally found him he wasn’t making sense and asked why I didn’t follow him. I reminded him that I was in the lead and he took an exit behind me. I think he was close to heat stroke. I got him in a cool building and had him drink water. I really didn’t know if that was the best thing to do or if it was more serious.

It seems like that there are some warning signs that would be good for bikers to know. How about us starting a list of things to watch for?

ken

 

[sheikyerbooty]

Complacency and fatigue. 2 biggies I'm always concious of. Not 'physical' as such, but killers none the less.

 

[LostDonkey]

Heat exhaustion resulting in fatality one of the biggest risks adv riding in Aus, particularly in late spring when the odd stinker of a day gets thrown at you. I organise and lead a group of us (8 mates) that always ride together. Being prepared is one thing, but knowing each others traits and demeanours, and being able to quickly notice any changes has been a saviour in a few instances where one of the group has been caught out. That and the fact that I always travel with a few instant electrolyte shots in my back pack which proved to be the difference between a manageable situation and a regrettable situation.

 

[Madhatter]

the shoulder thing might full most as its not located close to the spleen but left arm pain is associated with heart attack symptoms. dehydration (over 50 days here above 100 degrees will kick your hydration butt) can be very serious . fatigue in general is the enemy especially among motorcyclist . lots of things can cause it . but being aware that it can effect your riding skills and have strategies to combat its onset and effects. take breaks , eat lighter meals more often to keep your energy up . drink water (anything that has caffeine tends to dehydrate you. ) its always the best . and room temperature water is less taxing and absorbed faster than cold water. sad to lose a friend over something like a minor injury that was really a major in disguise . I know of a man who died 7 days after a car wreck , the doctors who checked him out missed his enternal injury that was bleeding . so doctors miss things too. when in doubt go back to the hospital .

 

[Sierra1]

Fatigue, cramps, and thirst. Some of the first minor signs of dehydration that people will overlook. Any kind of cramps; fingers, toes, anything. I can't count the amount of people that have told me that they're good, and end up with kidney stones because they got to hydrated. And that's the best case scenario.

 

[Jlq1969]

The burst spleen thing happened to a friend of mine. He flipped over on a quad, the quad fell on him and crushed his spleen. He was in pain for an hour. Then he began to feel bad, he felt that he was passing out. He went to the hospital, and the doctor told him that the only "safe" way to see the damage to his abdomen was to cut it open. They cut him open, removed his spleen (burst)…washed out all the internal bleeding….and saved him. Today, after 10 years of this event, he lives normally, he just has to be careful about drinking alcohol, and get vaccinated every year against infectious diseases. He contracted covid in 2021, but he got over it without major problems. What is dangerous for him are bacterial diseases, pneumococcus, etc.

 

[MattR]

A fellow rider recently died after a minor accident. A few weeks later I was having lunch with a doctor friend and told him about it. I told him the rider complained about left shoulder pain but didn’t think he hit his shoulder. My doctor friend said that is often a symptom of a ruptured spleen. He said any first year med student would know that. I told him we’re not all med students.

Once while riding in some extreme heat my friend was following and exited the freeway. When I finally found him he wasn’t making sense and asked why I didn’t follow him. I reminded him that I was in the lead and he took an exit behind me. I think he was close to heat stroke. I got him in a cool building and had him drink water. I really didn’t know if that was the best thing to do or if it was more serious.

It seems like that there are some warning signs that would be good for bikers to know. How about us starting a list of things to watch for?

ken

I’ve just had my spleen removed and can confirm that it did indeed give me pain in the shoulder. There is a nerve that passes through the diaphragm that transmits it to the shoulder


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[Madhatter]

MattR , wishing you a speedy and complete recovery .... not many no of that connection to the danger of what's really going on inside them .