Head injury
Alternative names:
brain injury; concussion - first aid; injury to the head
Definition:
Trauma to the head (See also concussion).
Considerations:
The signs and symptoms of a head injury may occur immediately
or develop slowly over several hours.
Most head injuries are minor. The skull provides the brain
with considerable protection form injury. Most head injuries
are mild, but head injury may be a serious problem when it
occurs. Accidents are the leading cause of death or disability
of men under age 35, and over 70% of accidents involve head
injuries and/or spinal cord injuries. Common causes of head
injury include traffic accidents, industrial/occupational
accidents, falls, physical assault, and accidents in the home.
If a child begins to play or run immediately after getting
a bump on the head, serious injury is unlikely. However, the
child should still be closely watched for the next day, since
sometimes symptoms of a head injury are delayed.
When encountering a victim of a head injury, try to find out
what happened. If the victim cannot tell you, look for clues
and ask witnesses.
Even if the skull is not fractured, the brain can bang against
the inside of the skull and be damaged. If there is bleeding
inside the skull, complications may follow.
Causes:
Injury or trauma to the head can result in
- concussion--the head sustains a hard blow
- intracranial hematoma--blood vessel ruptures between
the skull and the brain (see subdural
hematoma)
- skull fracture
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