Head Injury #7

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Robert J. McGrath

Head Injury Treatment

Head Injury Self-Care at Home

Many people who hit their heads do not need to seek medical attention. People often hit their heads on a cupboard or trip and fall on a soft surface, get up and dust themselves off and are otherwise well.

Occasionally, a bump can occur underneath the skin of the scalp or forehead. This ‘goose egg’ is a hematoma on the outside of the skull and is not necessarily related to any potential bleeding that can affect the brain. Treatment is the same as any other bruise or contusion and includes ice, and over-the-counter pain medication.

Head Injury Medical Treatment

A CT of the head years after a traumatic brain...

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Treatment for head injury will be individualized for each patient depending upon the underlying injury and the patient’s situation.

As with any other injury, the ABCs of resuscitation take priority to restore or support breathing and circulation in the body. Care for the head injury often occurs at the same time other injuries are attended to in the multiply traumatized patient. Continue reading →

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Head Injury #6

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Robert J. McGrath

Head Injury Diagnosis

Normal CT scan of the head; this slice shows t...

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The physical examination and the history of the exact details of the injury are the first steps in caring for a patient with head injury. The patient’s past medical history and medication usage will also be important factors in deciding the next steps. Plain skull X-rays are rarely done for the evaluation of head injury. It is more important to assess brain function than to look at the bones that surround the brain. Plain X-ray films may be considered in infants to look for a fracture, depending upon the clinical situation.

Computerized tomography (CT) scan of the head allows the brain to be imaged and examined for bleeding and swelling in the brain. It can also evaluate bony injuries to the skull and look for bleeding in the sinuses of the face associated with basilar skull fractures. CT does not assess brain function, and patients suffering axonal shear injury may be comatose with a normal CT scan of the head.

Numerous guidelines exist to give direction as to when a CT should be completed in patients who present awake after sustaining a minor head injury. Continue reading →

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Head Injury #5

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Robert J. McGrath

When to Seek Medical Care 

  • Call 911 or activate your local emergency response service should any person sustain a significant head injury. This includes all persons with loss of consciousness who do not immediately waken and return to normal as well as those who show signs of weakness or numbness on one side of their body, complain of difficulty speaking, or have vision loss. These are the same symptoms as a person having a stroke.

    Afghan children getting medical care 2

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  • Mechanism of injury is also an important consideration. Persons in a motor vehicle collision or who have fallen from a height should be kept still with their neck protected, in case there is an associated spinal cord injury.
  • Other symptoms that should prompt seeking medical care include confusion, loss of short-term memory, and repeatedvomiting.
  • A less specific symptom but one that can also be used with children is to decide whether the person is acting like his or herself. This is a subtle and non specific way of evaluating an injured person, but if there is concern that they are not acting “normal”, medical care should be accessed.
  • Persons with head injuries who are impaired because of alcohol or drugs should be brought for medical attention and evaluation.
  • Those who are taking prescription blood thinning medications such as warfarin(Coumadin), dabigatran etexilate (Pradaxa), enoxaparin (Lovenox), andheparin should seek medical care for all head injuries, even if it is very minor.

Taken from:

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/head_injury/page5_em.htm

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Head Injury #4

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Robert J. McGrath

Head Injury Guidelines and Assessment: Glasgow Coma Scale

The Glasgow Coma Scale was developed to provide a simple way for health care practitioners of different skill levels and training to quickly assess a patient’s mental status and depth of coma based upon observations of eye opening, speech, and movement. Patients in the deepest level of coma:

  • do not respond with any body movement to pain,
  • do not have any speech, and
  • do not open their eyes.

Those in lighter comas may offer some response, to the point they may even seem awake, yet meet the criteria of coma because they do not respond to their environment. Continue reading →

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Head Injury #3

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Robert J. McGrath

Head Injury in Infants and Young Children

Infants often visit health care practitioner because of a head injury. Toddlers tend to fall as they learn to walk, and falls remain the number one cause of head injury in children. While guidelines exist regarding the evaluation of head injury victims, they tend to be applied to those older than 2 years of age.

A minor head injury in an infant is described by the American Academy of Pediatrics as the following: a history or physical signs of blunt trauma to the scalp, skull, or brain in an infant or child who is alert or awakens to voice or light touch. Continue reading →

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Head Injury #2

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Robert J. McGrath

Head Injury Symptoms

It is important to remember that a head injury can have different symptoms and signs, ranging from a patient experiencing no initial symptoms to coma.

A pie chart showing head injury fatalities by ...

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A high index of suspicion that a head injury may exist is important, depending upon the mechanism of injury and the initial symptoms displayed by the patient. Being unconscious, even for a short period of time is not normal. Prolonged confusion, seizures, and multiple episodes of vomiting should be signs that prompt medical attention is needed.

In some situations, concussion-type symptoms can be missed. Patients may experience difficulty concentrating, increased mood swings, lethargy or aggression, and altered sleep habits among other symptoms. Medical evaluation is always wise even well after the injury has occured.

taken from:

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/head_injury/page2_em.htm

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Head Injury #1

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Robert J. McGrath

Head Injury Overview

Traumatic head injuries are a major cause of death, and disability but it might be best to refer to the damage done as traumatic brain injury.

The purpose of the head, including the skull and face, is to protect the brain against injury. In addition to the bony protection, the brain is covered in tough fibrous layers called meninges and bathed in fluid that may provide a little shock absorption.

Mind Map showing a summary of Skull fractures

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When an injury occurs, loss of brain function can occur even without visible damage to the head. Force applied to the head may cause the brain to be directly injured or shaken, bouncing against the inner wall of the skull. The trauma can potentially cause bleeding in the spaces surrounding the brain, bruise the brain tissue, or damage the nerve connections within the brain.

Caring for the victim with a head injury begins with making certain that the ABCs of resuscitation are addressed (airway, breathing, circulation). Many individuals with head injuries are multiple trauma victims and the care of their brain may take place at the same time other injuries are stabilized and treated. Continue reading →

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