Summary: A head injury is any trauma to the scalp, skull, brain, or blood vessels. It can be either open or closed. The treatment and consequences of head injuries depend on the injury’s type and severity.
What is a Head Injury?
A head injury is an injury that occurs to the skull, brain, scalp, or blood vessels in the head. Head injuries can range from as mild as a bump, bruise, deep cut, open wound, or internal bleeding to a traumatic brain injury. The effect and treatment of head injury depend on the injury’s location and severity. You can’t assess the seriousness of head injury just by looking at it. Sometimes a minor head injury bleeds a lot while a significant head injury doesn’t bleed at all. So it’s crucial to get a head injury assessed by a doctor to know its seriousness and impact.What are the different types of head injuries?
The primary type of head injuries are:Intracranial Hematoma
A collection of clotted blood inside the skull is called Intracranial Hematoma. In some cases, it can appear immediately after an injury, while in some other cases, it may appear a few hours, days, or even weeks later.Hemorrhage
A hemorrhage is an uncontrolled or heavy discharge of bleeding from a damaged vessel. This blood loss can be internal or external. Bleeding can range from as minor as a bruise to as significant as bleeding in the brain.Concussion
A concussion is called a mild TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), resulting in a temporary loss of normal brain functioning.Skull Fracture
Skull Fracture is a head injury that causes a break or fracture in the skull (cranial) bone.What are the causes of head injury?
There are many reasons for head injuries in kids and adults. Head injuries caused due to two main reasons: Blow to the head or shaking. Head injuries from a blow to the head are generally linked with falls, physical assaults, sport-related accidents, or motor vehicle accidents. Head injuries due to shaking are widespread in infants and children. However, head injuries due to shaking can occur at any time or age if an individual experiences violent shaking.Indications of a Head Injury
Typical head injury indications include scalp wound, fracture, nasal discharge, loss of consciousness, stiff neck, swelling, or bruising.What are the symptoms of head injury?
The symptoms of a head injury may vary depending on the type and severity of the injury. Each individual may experience different symptoms of head injury. Head injury may cause bleeding in the brain tissue or the layers surrounding your brain. The common symptoms of a head injury are:Symptoms of Minor Head Injury
The most common symptoms of minor head injury are headache, mild confusion, nausea, or a temporary ringing in the ears.Symptoms of Moderate to Severe Head Injury
The symptoms of moderate to severe head injury are seizures, severe headache, loss of consciousness, memory loss, loss of balance, vomiting, mood changes, behavioral changes, or severe disorientation.How do head injuries are diagnosed?
Head injury is diagnosed with a physical exam and diagnostics test. During the examination, a doctor obtains the patient’s age, overall medical history, and head injury cause. To know the severity of the injury, the doctor will assess it with a GCS. GCS is the abbreviation for Glasgow Coma Scale. It’s a 15-point test that assesses the mental status of a patient. A high GCS score is a sign of less severe head injury. Diagnostic tests for head injury may include:Neurological Examination
During a neurological examination, your doctor will evaluate how nerves work by assessing your muscle control and eye movements.CT Scan
CT Scan is a Computed Tomography Scan that is fast and accurate. It helps the doctors to look for any fracture, brain swelling, bleeding, or clotting.MRI
An MRI is a Magnetic Resonance Imaging that shows detailed images of organs and structures within your body. Your doctor may perform an MRI Scan once you’re stable. Don’t take head injuries lightly. Consult your doctor if you’re experiencing any symptoms of a serious head injury. Your doctor will then diagnose how severe the injury is and what its consequences are in the long term.Traumatic Brain Injury
A TBI is a brain injury that is caused due to a violent blow, bump, or jolt to the head. Falls and accidents are two of the leading causes of TBI. Traumatic brain injury is more common in adults over 65 as they are more prone to losing balance, falling, or hitting their heads. However, TBI can happen to people of any age group, and even infants or children can experience it due to incidents like falling, shaken baby syndrome, assaults, or abuse. Other people with a high TBI risk may include military members, veterans, athletes, or construction workers. TBI symptoms usually depend on the severity of the injury. It can be diagnosed with several tests, including neurological evaluation, blood test, or imaging tests such as MRI or CT Scan. Mild to moderate TBI usually requires minimal treatment, while severe TBI requires more intense treatments. Counseling and rehabilitation are also provided to improve survivors’ quality of life.Donate To Veterans In Northern Virginia
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