Topic Overview
Head injury
Most injuries to the head are
minor. Bumps, cuts, and scrapes on the head and face usually heal well and can
be treated the same as injuries to other parts of the body. Minor cuts on the
head often bleed heavily because the face and scalp have many blood vessels
close to the surface of the skin. Often the injury is not severe, and you can stop the bleeding with home treatment.
Many head injuries can be prevented. Use
seat belts and helmets, and make your home safe to prevent falls.
Common causes of serious head injuries in adults include:
- Car crashes. Almost half of all head injuries
occur during a car crash. Teens and young adults are more likely to be hurt in
car crashes than other age groups.
- Falls, which are more likely to
involve children younger than age 5 and adults older than age
60.
- Sports-related injuries and work-related accidents. Men have
about twice as many head injuries as women. Sports-related injuries are very
common but are not always reported.
- Assaults and violent attacks.
Gunshot wounds are the leading cause of death from a head injury.
Head injuries that involve force are more likely to cause a
serious injury to the brain. A
high-energy injury to the head increases the
likelihood of a serious injury even more. Be sure to evaluate the
person for signs and symptoms of a head injury after a fall or other type of
head injury.
It is sometimes hard to tell the difference
between a
concussion and a more serious
head injury. A person with a concussion may appear
dazed, stare blankly, or cry for no apparent reason. Nausea, vomiting,
headache, or dizziness may be present. A visit to a doctor is needed anytime
mild symptoms persist. Even if a visit to a doctor is not needed, watch anyone
who has had a head injury carefully for at least 24 hours to see whether signs
of a serious head injury develop.
Occasionally, after a head injury
you may feel as if you are not functioning as well as you did before the injury
(postconcussive syndrome). You may have blurred vision,
headache, nausea, vomiting, forgetfulness, or trouble concentrating. Some
people have problems with balance and coordination and personality changes.
These changes may be related to stress from the events around the accident
that caused the injury or from the injury itself. Many people have symptoms for
as long as 3 months after a head injury, and some even have problems for as
long as a year afterward.
When a head injury has occurred, look
for other injuries to other parts of the body that also may need attention.
Trouble breathing, shock, spinal injuries, and severe bleeding are all
life-threatening injuries that may occur along with a head injury and require
immediate medical attention.
Injuries to the spine, especially the neck, must be
considered when there has been a head injury.
Check your
symptoms to decide if and when you should see a doctor.
Check Your Symptoms
Home Treatment
Home treatment for a head injury is
only appropriate if there was no
loss of consciousness or inability to recall current
events (amnesia) after the injury. If either loss of
consciousness or amnesia has occurred, check your
symptoms to determine when to see your doctor.
Immediately after a head injury:
- Check for:
- Seizure.
- Confusion or not acting normal.
Ask the person his or her name, address, age, the date, location, and the name
of the president.
- Severe irritability or wanting to
fight.
- Inability to remember what happened just before or after the
injury.
- Trouble speaking or slurred
speech.
- Dizziness, lightheadedness, or unsteadiness that makes it
hard to stand or walk.
- Symptoms that affect one side of the body
more than the other side, such as numbness, weakness, or trouble
moving.
- Loss of vision.
- Vomiting.
- A severe headache.
- Abnormally deep sleep, trouble waking up, or extreme
sleepiness.
- To stop any bleeding, apply firm pressure
directly over the wound with a clean cloth or bandage for 15 minutes. If the cut is deep and may have penetrated the skull,
emergency treatment is needed.
- Check for injuries to other parts of
the body, especially if the person has fallen. The alarm of seeing a head
injury may cause you to overlook other injuries that need
attention.
- Apply
ice or cold packs to reduce the swelling. A "goose egg" lump may appear
anyway, but ice will help ease the pain.
- Be sure to follow any home
care instructions from your doctor. If you have questions about the
instructions, call your doctor.
Minor head injuries
Many minor head injuries that do
not involve loss of consciousness or amnesia may be treated at home. A person
who has had a head injury should be watched for any problems
from the injury. Home treatment can also help relieve swelling and bruising of the
skin or scalp and pain caused by a minor head injury.
If a visit to your doctor is not needed immediately:
- Apply
ice or cold packs to reduce the swelling. A "goose egg" lump may appear
anyway, but ice will help ease the pain.
- You may use
acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, to relieve
a mild headache or pain from the injury.
Watch
- The injured person should be watched by a
responsible adult for the next 24 hours.
- Call 911 or go to an emergency room immediately if
unconsciousness or
seizure activity develops.
- Seek medical
care if any new symptoms, such as vomiting, a severe headache, blurred or
double vision, or unsteadiness, develop after the injury (postconcussive syndrome).
Rest
- Rest is the best treatment for a
concussion. Get plenty of sleep at night, and take
rests during the day.
- If a mild to moderate
headache develops, lie down and try to relax your
entire body.
- Take only
acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, to relieve
a mild headache or pain from the injury. Do not use other nonprescription or
prescription medicines for pain without approval from your
doctor.
- Do not drink alcohol or use illegal drugs. Alcohol and
illegal drugs can slow your recovery and increase your risk of a second head
injury.
If vomiting occurs:
- Wait 1 hour after the last episode of vomiting
before taking liquid.
- After an hour, drink
4 fl oz (125 mL) of clear
liquid every 20 minutes for 1 hour.
- As you feel
better, begin to eat small amounts of clear soups, mild foods, and
liquids.
- Keep eating clear soups, mild foods, and liquids
until all symptoms are gone for 12 to 48 hours. Gelatin dessert, dry toast,
crackers, and cooked cereal are good choices.
Recovery
- Return to your normal activities gradually.
Don't try to do too much at once.
- Avoid activities that could lead
to another head injury. If your head injury occurred during a sporting event,
you should be evaluated for a concussion and cleared by a doctor before
returning to play.
- Ask your doctor when
it will be safe for you to drive a car or operate equipment, if that is a
concern.
- Take only
acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, to relieve
a mild headache or pain from the injury. Do not use other nonprescription or
prescription medicines for pain unless your doctor tells you to.
- Do
not use alcohol until your doctor tells you that you are well enough to do so.
Alcohol and illegal drugs can slow your recovery and increase your risk of a
second head injury.
Symptoms to watch for during home treatment
Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home
treatment:
- Bleeding increases.
- Other symptoms, such
as confusion, speech or vision problems, vomiting, or headache develop.
- Symptoms become more severe or more
frequent.
Prevention
Prevent injuries
- Wear your seat belt when in a motor vehicle. Use
child car seats.
- Help your child prevent injury during sports and other activities.
- Do not use alcohol or
other drugs before participating in sports or when operating a motor vehicle or
other equipment.
- Wear a helmet and other protective clothing
whenever you are biking, motorcycling, skating, skateboarding, kayaking,
horseback riding, skiing, snowboarding, or rock climbing.
- Wear a
hard hat if you work in an industrial area.
- Do not dive into
shallow or unfamiliar water.
- Prevent falls in your home by removing hazards that might cause a fall.
- Do not
keep guns in your home. If you must keep guns, lock them up and store them
unloaded. Lock ammunition in a separate area.
Preparing For Your Appointment
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.
Questions to prepare for your appointment
You can help your
doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the
following questions:
- When and how did the injury occur?
- Do
you remember all the details before, during, and after the injury? If you do
not remember, are there witnesses available who can tell you about the
injury?
- How did you act after the head injury?
- Did you
lose consciousness? If yes, for how long?
- What are your main
symptoms? How long have you had symptoms?
- Have you ever had a
concussion (traumatic brain injury) in the past?
- How long ago?
- How severe was
it?
- How was it treated?
- Do you continue to have
problems because of this injury?
- Was this injury intentionally caused by another
person?
- What object caused the injury? Was there or is there an
object in a cut on the head?
- What home treatment measures have you
used to treat the head injury? Did they help?
- What prescription or
nonprescription medicines do you use?
- If a cut or scrape occurred,
is your tetanus immunization up-to-date?
- Were alcohol or drugs
involved in the injury?
- Do you have any
health risks?
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
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| Primary Medical Reviewer | William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine |
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| Specialist Medical Reviewer | H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine |
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| Last Revised | November 16, 2012 |
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