Depending on the severity of injury, quickness of management, and transportation to an appropriate medical facility (called a trauma center) may be necessary to prevent loss of life or limb.

The initial assessment is critical, and involves a physical evaluation and also may include the use of imaging tools to determine the types of injuries accurately and to formulate a course of treatment.

[28] There are concerns that intravenous contrast administration in trauma situations without confirming adequate renal function may cause damage to kidneys, but this does not appear to be significant.

[29] Where blood pressure is low or the heart rate is increased—likely from bleeding in the abdomen—immediate surgery bypassing a CT scan is recommended.

[30] Modern 64-slice CT scans are able to rule out, with a high degree of accuracy, significant injuries to the neck following blunt trauma.

[6] By identifying risk factors present within a community and creating solutions to decrease the incidence of injury, trauma referral systems may help to enhance the overall health of a population.

[23] Spinal motion restriction by securing the neck with a cervical collar and placing the person on a long spine board was of high importance in the pre-hospital setting, but due to lack of evidence to support its use, the practice is losing favor.

[45] Improvements in pre-hospital care have led to "unexpected survivors", where patients survive trauma when they would have previously been expected to die.

[47] Management of those with trauma often requires the help of many healthcare specialists including physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and social workers.

Generally, the first step of managing trauma is to perform a primary survey that evaluates a person's airway, breathing, circulation, and neurologic status.

[48] These steps may happen simultaneously or depend on the most pressing concern such as a tension pneumothorax or major arterial bleed.

The primary survey generally includes assessment of the cervical spine, though clearing it is often not possible until after imaging, or the person has improved.

When a person is first brought in, vital signs are checked, an ECG is performed, and, if needed, vascular access is obtained.

[56] Current evidence supports limiting the use of fluids for penetrating thorax and abdominal injuries, allowing mild hypotension to persist.

[54] Blood substitutes such as hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers are in development; however, as of 2013 there are none available for commercial use in North America or Europe.

[71] Damage control surgery is used to manage severe trauma in which there is a cycle of metabolic acidosis, hypothermia, and hypotension that may lead to death, if not corrected.

Immediate deaths usually are due to apnea, severe brain or high spinal cord injury, or rupture of the heart or of large blood vessels.

[73] Prognosis is better in countries with a dedicated trauma system where injured persons are provided quick and effective access to proper treatment facilities.

[83] The primary causes of traumatic death are central nervous system injuries and substantial blood loss.

The human remains discovered at the site of Nataruk in Turkana, Kenya, are claimed to show major trauma—both blunt and penetrating—caused by violent trauma to the head, neck, ribs, knees, and hands, which has been interpreted by some researchers as establishing the existence of warfare between two groups of hunter-gatherers 10,000 years ago.

[84] The evidence for blunt-force trauma at Nataruk has been challenged, however, and the interpretation that the site represents an early example of warfare has been questioned.

[85] The financial cost of trauma includes both the amount of money spent on treatment and the loss of potential economic gain through absence from work.

[86] One reason for the high cost of the treatment for trauma is the increased possibility of complications, which leads to the need for more interventions.

[88] In addition to the direct costs of the treatment, there also is a burden on the economy due to lost wages and productivity, which in 2009, accounted for approximately US$693.5 billion in the United States.

[76] In the United States, approximately sixteen million children go to an emergency department due to some form of injury every year,[76] with boys being more frequently injured than girls by a ratio of 2:1.

[76] The world's five most common unintentional injuries in children as of 2008 are road crashes, drowning, burns, falls, and poisoning.

[93] Weight estimation is an important part of managing trauma in children because the accurate dosing of medicine may be critical for resuscitative efforts.

[96] There are diagnostic issues during pregnancy; ionizing radiation has been shown to cause birth defects,[4] although the doses used for typical exams generally are considered safe.

Because the weight of the uterus on the inferior vena cava may decrease blood return to the heart, it may be very beneficial to lay a woman in late pregnancy on her left side.

[96] also recommended are Rho(D) immune globulin in those who are rh negative, corticosteroids in those who are 24 to 34 weeks and may need delivery or a caesarean section in the event of cardiac arrest.