About this topic
A minor head injury may be due to any blunt trauma to the head. It is most often caused by a bump on the head from a fall or accident. Sometimes it is caused by a blow to the head with an object. A minor head injury often has: ‚
- No deep cuts
- No other serious injury on the head and face
You act normal, alert, and respond well after the injury. Minor head injuries do not cause serious problems and most often get better within a few days. Your signs slowly go away. You will need to keep track of how you feel after an injury. ‚
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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.
- Healing may take time so you need to be patient.
- Make sure family and friends know of your injury and how to help.
- Rest your body.
- Do not work out or do other heavy activities. Light activity is OK.
- Check with your doctor about when you can return to your normal activities, like work.
- 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.
- Take your pain-relieving drugs if your head hurts.
- Stay away from beer, wine, and mixed drinks (alcohol) until you fully recover.
- Be sure to watch your child closely after a head injury, especially when at school or outdoors. Check with your doctor about when your child can go back to normal activities like computers and video games.
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. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
Will physical activity be limited?
You may have to limit your activity. Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you. Avoid activities that may put you at risk of head injury. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Bleeding in the brain
- Damage to the brain which may lead to changes in mental, physical, and emotional behavior
- Trouble thinking or focusing
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. This is important when you ride a motorcycle or bicycle. Also wear a helmet when you skateboard, snowboard, rollerskate, or ski.
- Stay away from risky activities that may cause falls.
- Wear hard hats and protective gear. This is very important if you work in construction, on ladders, or do other dangerous jobs.
When do I need to call the doctor?
Problems with your brain like: ‚
- More confusion, drowsiness, or any change in being aware
- Not 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 or leg
- Stiff neck
You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days 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?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‚
http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/index.html ‚
NHS Choices ‚
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Head-injury-minor/Pages/Introduction.aspx ‚
http://www.nhsinform.co.uk/health-library/articles/h/head-injury-minor/introduction ‚
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. ‚