While many cases of head trauma involve injuries that are considered minor and don't really require specialized medical attention or hospitalization, even minor contusion and trauma may cause persistent and chronic symptoms in an injured person. These symptoms may vary greatly, but some of the most common problems are persistent headache and problems with concentration.
The injured person may need to take time off from his/her usual activities and work schedule in order to get proper rest and ensure complete recovery. It is crucial to seek immediate and professional medical help and call an ambulance right away if you suspect someone has experienced head trauma or other injury. If more than one of these symptoms are present, this could mean there is serious head injury, that may require medical attention and hospitalization. Some of the symptoms could appear later – from a few hours to several days after the person is injured.
Why is head injury potentially dangerous
Head injuries are serious because of the damage they can cause to the brain. The inured person may lose consciousness. The severity of a head injury depends on how the person hit their head and how hard the impact is. Open and fragmented fractures are very dangerous and potentially life-threatening.
An injury to the head may cause damage to the brain tissue, as well as tearing of the blood vessels in the skull. Some of the signs of serious injury are clear fluid or watery blood leakage from the ears or nose. Watch closely for a deteriorating level of response, confusion, loss of consciousness and other visible signs.
Watch closely for any of the following signs:
In adults:
• Severe bleeding from the head of face
• Leakage of fluid from the nose or the ears
• Severe and persistent headache
• Changes in the level of consciousness, “tripping out” for more than a few seconds
• Black-and-blue discoloration below the eyes or behind the ears
• Shortness of breath
• Cessation of breathing
• Confusion
• Problems with balance
• Weakness of the body and limbs
• Inability to use an arm or leg
• Unequal pupil size
• Slurred speech
• Seizures
In children:
Look closely for any of the signs or symptoms shown for adults, as well as:
• Persistent crying
• Refusal to eat
• Bulging in the soft spot on the front of the head (infants)
• Vomiting
What to do in case of severe head trauma
You can help a person who has experienced head trauma in several ways until specialized medical help arrives.
Keep the person still, lying down, with head and shoulders slightly elevated. Don't try to move the injured person unless it is really necessary. Avoid moving the injured person's neck. Don’t remove the helmet, if the injured person is wearing one (i.e. with road and motor vehicle accidents). Try to stop any bleeding - apply firm pressure to a visible wound using a sterile gauze or clean cloth. Don’t apply direct pressure to a wound if you suspect a fracture of the skull.
Watch for changes in the injured person’s breathing, consciousness and alertness. Begin performing CPR in case the person shows no signs of circulation and has no breathing, coughing or movement.
What to look for – signs and symptoms of head injuries
There are at least six key symptoms to look for in case someone has injured their head:
• Loss of consciousness
• Wounds in the scalp
• Dizziness or nausea, sometimes vomiting
• Amnesia, loss of memory of the events before or during the injury
• Severe headache
• Confusion
In severe cases you may need to look for:
• Low level of response
• Sudden loss of consciousness
• Blood or fluid leakage from the ears and/or nose
• Uunequal size of the pupils
Check the level of consciousness. You can use the AVPR scale.
AVPU scale: alert, voice, pain, unresponsiveness
A – [Alert]: is the injured person alert? Does he or she respond to questions?
V – [Voice]: is the injured person responding to your voice, answering simple questions, instructions and reacting to the environment?
P – [Pain]: if the injured person is not alert or not responding to voice questions and commands, try touching or pinching them and see if he of she can open their eyes and react.
R – [Response]: is the injured person responding to questions or a gentle shake?
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