Head Injury
- Brain
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- Head Injury
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What is a Head Injury?
A head injury is defined as any injury to the brain, skull, or scalp. This can include everything from a minor bump or bruise to a severe brain injury. Concussions, skull fractures, and scalp wounds are all common types of head injuries. The implications and remedies for a brain injury vary widely depending on what caused it and how serious it is.
Head injuries can be closed or open. Any damage that does not break the skull is considered a closed head injury. An open (penetrating) head injury occurs when something penetrates the skull and scalp and enters the brain.
It might be difficult to determine the severity of a brain injury simply by looking at it. Some mild head injuries bleed profusely, while others do not bleed at all.
What Causes a Head Injury?
In general, head injuries can be due to two major reasons, either caused by a blow or caused by shaking. Shaking-induced head injuries are most common in newborns and small children, but they can occur when there is strong shaking. Head injuries from a blow to the head are commonly connected with:
- Collisions involving motor vehicles
- Assaults on the body
- Falling from a height
- Sports-related mishaps
What are the Symptoms of Head Injury?
Because the head has the maximum number of blood arteries, bleeding on the surface or within the brain is a severe issue in head injuries. Not all head traumas, however, result in bleeding. Many indications of severe brain injury do not present immediately and can take days to show.
The following are common symptoms of a head injury:
- A headache
- Nausea and vomiting
- A state of unconsciousness
- Issues with balance or coordination
- Breakdown in muscular control
- Inability to focus the eyes due to severe disorientation
- Light-headedness
- Ringing in the ears for a short period
- Seizures
- Unusual eye motions
- Memory lapse
- Clear fluid seeping from the ear or nose
How is a Head Injury Diagnosed?
Head injuries can be life-threatening. The Glasgow Coma Scale is one of the first tools to evaluate a head injury. The GCS is a 15-point assessment of mental health. A high GCS score denotes a less serious injury.
In addition, the doctor will evaluate the symptoms of trauma, such as bruising and swelling. Head injuries are also commonly diagnosed with imaging tests like CT scans and MRI to search for fractures, signs of bleeding and clotting, brain swelling, and any other structural damage.
What are the Complications of Head Injury?
Several issues might emerge right after a traumatic brain injury like;
- Fluid build-up in the brain
- Paralysis
- Changes in a person’s level of consciousness, awareness, or attentiveness
- Seizures
- Hearing loss
- Communication problems
What is the Treatment after a Head Injury?
Mild traumatic brain injuries typically do not require treatment beyond rest and some pain medications to treat a headache.
If there are symptoms other than pain, then medications are given accordingly. Sometimes, emergency surgery needs to be done, including removing blood clots and repairing the fractures, if any.
Depending upon the injury, rehabilitation through therapists is also suggested.