About this topic
A head injury is any trauma to the head. This may come from a blow or a sudden force. A closed head injury means the blow to the head did not break the skull. Common closed head injuries are concussions and brain contusions. If the brain has been shaken, this is a concussion. If the brain is bruised, this is a contusion. The damage may cause swelling or pressure on the brain. A closed head injury may be mild or severe. It will depend on how much swelling and pressure there is on the brain. ‚
Mild closed head injuries do not cause serious problems and get better within a short time. You may feel fine within a few hours after the head injury. You may still have brain damage even if you did not lose consciousness. Some people have a headache and feel confused or are not able to remember. Others have an upset stomach or throw up. Some feel sleepy or act cranky or out of sorts. ‚
It may take weeks for signs of brain damage to happen. These include: ‚
- Trouble walking or talking
- Problems with memory or paying attention
- Trouble sleeping
- Mood or behavior changes
- Changes in seeing
- Feeling bothered by noise or light
More severe injuries take longer to recover from and can cause long-lasting damage and long-term changes. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Your care at home will depend on how much harm there is to the brain. Mild cases may need very little care. Very bad cases may result in long-term change in mental state. People with very bad cases may need a lot of care.
- Healing may take time so you need to be patient.
- Make sure family and friends know of your injury and how to help.
- Be sure to have an adult look after you for the first 12 to 24 hours after you are home. You can go to sleep but ask someone to wake you up every 2 to 3 hours for the first 12 hours.
- Rest your body. Do not work out. You should not use exercise machines such as treadmills, or do other heavy activities. Light activity is OK.
- Rest your brain. Stay away from doing things that need a lot of thought or focus. Stay away from TV, computers, and video games. Check with your doctor to see when you can return to these things.
- Be as comfortable as possible. Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice directly on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
- Rehab care may be very important. You may need specific help with:
- Basic skills like walking and dressing
- Communication skills like talking
- Brain skills like memory, thinking, and focusing
- Be sure to watch your child closely after a head injury, especially when at school or outdoors.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- You will need to be watched closely. Your doctor may suggest that you have rehab care. This may help you get your brain function back and help you recover faster. It is important that you go to all of your rehab visits.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Lower pressure inside the brain
- Reduce brain swelling
- Treat or prevent seizures
- Help with pain and swelling
If you have a hard time remembering to take your drugs, have someone remind you or write down a plan to follow. Certain tools like an alarm clock are also available to help you remember. ‚
Will physical activity be limited?
- Physical activity may be limited for some time. Your activities may be limited as long as you have the signs of this health problem.
- Activities that call for thinking or recall might also be limited. Check with your doctor about when you can return to your normal activities.
- If you have had a seizure, check your state laws about driving.
- When you return to work, talk to your doctor and employer about your workload. You may need someone to check your work.
- Make sure teachers know of your problem if you are in school.
What problems could happen?
- A brain injury may cause changes in a persons way of life. These changes in a more severe injury may include a different level of consciousness or mental state, being unaware of surroundings, and not being able to respond to any stimulus. Other changes may include:
- Impaired memory, learning, or judgment
- Problems in communicating. This can lead to frustrations, conflicts, and more injuries.
- Changes in actions and feelings. You may have more anger or low mood most of the time.
- Problems with hearing, smelling, or seeing
- Seizures
- Higher chance for other brain diseases, such as Alzheimer and Parkinson
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Do not drive when you are taking drugs for pain or that cause you to be drowsy. Do not drink alcohol and drive. Do not drive when you are tired.
- Always wear a seatbelt when you drive or ride in a car.
- Wear proper protective equipment when you play sports.
- Wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle, bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, or when skiing or snowboarding or doing other similar activity.
- Stay away from risky activities that may cause falls.
- Wear hard hats and protective gear if you work in construction or other dangerous jobs or if you work on ladders or in high places.
When do I need to call the doctor?
Problems with your brain like: ‚
- More confusion, drowsiness, or any change in being aware
- Not being able to remember things
- Very sleepy (more than expected) or hard to wake up
- Behavior changes like angry outbursts or thoughts of hurting yourself or others
- Headache gets worse or feels different
Problems with your eyes, ears, or mouth like: ‚
- Trouble speaking or slurred speech
- A change in the size of one pupil (black part of your eye) as compared to the other eye
- Blurry eyesight, double vision, or other problems with your eyesight
- Bleeding or clear liquid drainage from your ears or nose
Problems with how you move or feel like: ‚
- Upset stomach and throwing up that wont go away
- Dizziness or fainting
- Staggering or trouble walking
- Weakness or numbness of an arm, leg, or a part of your body
- Stiff neck
- Seizures
- Loss of control of your urine or bowels
Health problem is not better or you are feeling worse ‚
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you what I will do to rest my brain.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have problems remembering things.
Where can I learn more?
FamilyDoctor.org ‚
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/head-injuries.printerview.all.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚