The doctor is asking the patient about his medical history.
Head injury assessment can be done through a physical and neurologic exam along with a head CT or head x-ray. These procedures help evaluate the situation and severity of the injury and determine suitable treatment. When you get hit in the face, and your mouth is severely affected, you can go to <a href="https://sdgdentistbaulkhamhills.com.au/glenwood-dental/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SDG's clinic near Glenwood</a>. Most of the head injury symptoms occur right away following trauma or occur gradually over time. In this article, you will know more about head injuries, how to assess them, and the possible treatments.

Head injury assessment can be done through a physical and neurologic exam along with a head CT or head x-ray. These procedures help evaluate the situation and severity of the injury and determine suitable treatment. When you get hit in the face, and your mouth is severely affected, you can go to SDG’s clinic near Glenwood. Most of the head injury symptoms occur right away following trauma or occur gradually over time. In this article, you will know more about head injuries, how to assess them, and the possible treatments.

 

About Head Injury

A head injury or head trauma is one of the most common reasons for handicap and death in adults. The damage can be about as minor as a knock, bruise, or cut on the head or moderate to severe head injury. The nature of the injuries can be because of a blackout, skull fracture, deep cut or open wound, or internal bleeding and damage to the brain.

Head trauma is a broad term that portrays an immense range of injuries that happen to the skull, scalp, brain, tissue, and blood vessels in the head. Additionally, a head injury is also called a brain injury or traumatic brain injury (TBI), contingent upon the degree of the trauma to the head.

 

Types of Head Injuries

Head injuries can be external that include the scalp. Or then, they can be internal that involve the brain, skull, or blood vessels.

Head damage can cause concussions, contusions, bleeding, or skull fractures:The doctors are doing a head injury assessment.

A concussion is a form of mild traumatic brain injury. This happens when a blow to the head or another harm moves the head back and forth with so much force. As a result, this causes chemical alteration in the brain and, at times, causes brain damage.

A bruise or contusion happens when a hit to the head harms the skin and the delicate tissue under it. Blood from minor blood vessels spills, causing purple or red blemishes on the skin. Contusions frequently occur on the forehead or scalp. Additionally, more severe head injuries can result in a brain contusion.

Skull fractures are damage to the skull bone. Also, a skull fracture can occur in various areas of the skull.

Lastly, bleeding can occur on and under the head’s skin and in or around the brain.

Moreover, those patients with upper cervical spine injury appeared to have an increased risk of suffering skull base fractures, traumatic hemorrhage, and cerebral hemorrhagic contusion.

 

Signs and Symptoms of Brain Injury

The individual may have fluctuating levels of symptoms related to the seriousness of the head injury. In any case, every individual may encounter symptoms differently. These may include:

Mild Head Injury:

  • Headache
  • Neck pain
  • Nausea
  • Swollen part from a bump or a wound
  • Irritability
  • Blurred vision
  • Small or shallow cut in the scalp
  • Dizziness
  • Issues with balance
  • Problems with concentration

 

Moderate To Severe Brain Injury 

This condition can be life-threatening and may require immediate medical attention. Side effects may incorporate any of the above in addition to:

  • Loss of consciousness
  • Extreme headache that does not disappear
  • Slurred speech
  • Trouble walking
  • Loss of short-term memory
  • Blood or clear liquid depleting from the nose or ears
  • Deep cut or laceration in the scalp
  • One pupil is bigger than the other eye and does not constrict when presented to light.
  • Foreign object penetrating the head or penetrating head injury
  • Locked-in syndrome, in which an individual is is conscious and can reason or think but cannot move or speak.

Furthermore, the symptoms of a head injury may look like other issues or medical conditions. In short, always make an appointment with your doctor for a diagnosis.

 

Diagnosis For Head Injuries

The total degree of the issue may not be totally understood following the injury. However, it may uncover with comprehensive medical advice and diagnostic examination.

The analysis of brain injuries is made with a physical evaluation and diagnostic inquiries. During the initial assessment, the doctor acquires a complete clinical history of the patient and family and questions how the injury happened. Additionally, injury to the head can cause neurological issues and may need additional medical follow-up.

Moreover, diagnostic examinations may include:

Blood tests

X-ray. A diagnostic test applies invisible electromagnetic energy bars to create pictures of internal bones, tissues, and organs onto film.The patient undergoes a CT scan.

Computed tomography (CT) scan. Patients with head injuries may also undergo a CT scan. This diagnostic imaging procedure utilizes a mix of X-rays and computer technology to create axial or horizontal pictures of the body. Additionally, CT scanning helps show detailed images of any part of the body, including the muscles, bones, fat, and organs.

Electroencephalogram (EEG). Patients may receive EEG to determine the general electrical activity of their brain. This procedure records the brain’s continuous, electrical action through electrodes appended to the scalp.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients with head injury assessment may also undergo MRI to further understand the condition. This diagnostic procedure also applies a blend of enormous magnets, radio frequencies, and a computer to produce definite images of organs and structures inside the body.

 

Treatment

The doctor will determine the specific treatment of a brain injury based on:

  • Type of brain injury
  • Your age, overall health, and medical history
  • The extent of the head damage
  • Your capacity to bear specific medications, procedures, or treatments
  • Your assessment or inclination
  • Expectations for the course of the traumatic injury

Depending on the seriousness of the injury, treatment may incorporate:

  • Rest
  • Ice
  • Then, topical antibiotic cream and adhesive bandage
  • Immediate medical attention following head injury
  • Stitches
  • Hospitalization for observation
  • Moderate sedation or help with breathing that would need to be placed on a breathing machine or respirator
  • Surgery

Moreover, treatment is individualized, contingent upon the degree of the condition and the presence of other injuries. If you have an extreme head injury, sometimes, you may need monitoring for expanded intracranial pressure.

 

References:

Traumatic Brain Injury.

https://www.aans.org/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Traumatic-Brain-Injury

Symptoms of Mild TBI and Concussion.

https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/concussion/symptoms.html

How serious is a fractured skull?

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322871

Locked-In Syndrome.

https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/brain,-spinal-cord,-and-nerve-disorders/coma-and-impaired-consciousness/locked-in-syndrome

Computed Tomography (CT).

https://www.nibib.nih.gov/science-education/science-topics/computed-tomography-ct