Head injuries need to be taken very seriously, whether they are internal or external. Given below are some tips on how to deal with head injuries.
Perform a quick examination
If a person has fallen on his head or has been hit on the head, you need to first perform a quick surface examination to check for any bumps, bruises, or wounds. Since the scalp is rich with blood vessels, even a small cut on the scalp can bleed profusely. However, even a small cut on the surface can mean greater injury inside the head. Therefore, after the physical examination, you need to confirm if there is some internal injury to the head as well. You can do this by observing if the injured person is suffering memory loss, disorientation, or loss of balance. A person need not have to be passed out for you to determine that it is an internal injury. The injured person might be fully conscious albeit staring into nothingness.
Minor injuries
Minor injuries to the head can be dealt easily, but this does not mean that you ignore these minor bumps and bruises. If a person has hit his head somewhere, check his breathing and other senses. If he behaves normally and does not complain of much pain in the hit area, sleeping for some time is a good idea. However, if the person complains of pain, you can apply a cold pack on the injured area. You can also use an ice pack, but make sure that you wrap the ice in a cloth as bare ice applied on the skin can cause cold injury. If you are dealing with small children, it is advisable to take them to the pediatrician, if the child cries non-stop, is vomiting, complains of pain, and is not being able to walk properly on his own. On the other hand, if it is an infant you are dealing with, you must immediately call the doctor, even for a minor injury, just to make sure everything is okay, as an infant will not be able to tell you the extent of the injury.
Major external injuries
Major injuries on the surface of the head call for an emergency checkup. Keep talking to the injured person to prevent him from falling unconscious. A serious injury to the head may also make the person dizzy and nauseous affecting his memory and sense of balance. Rushing the injured person to the hospital should be your top priority, as with most head injuries, the first hour is the most crucial from the point of view of the treatment to be given. The faster you get the injured person under medical care, better will be the chances of recovery.
Internal injuries
Whether it is a minor or a major injury on the external surface of the head, there is always a chance that the person has suffered internal injury to the brain as well. A severe blow to the head may sometimes not show any wounds or cuts on the surface, but it is quite capable of pushing the brain into the skull and rupturing the blood vessels inside. If the injured person falls unconscious immediately, starts bleeding from the ears, nose and mouth, has suffered partial or complete paralysis, has disturbed vision or speech or is entering a seizure, it confirms internal injury. Do not try to move the injured person while you wait for the ambulance to arrive. It is best to avoid cleaning the wound as applying pressure on the wound in an attempt to the stop the bleeding or removing any object stuck in the wound as you do not know the extent of the internal injury.
Post injury care
After the treatment for the head injury there are certain things that the patient must keep in mind. Keep a track of any symptoms returning after treatment. For example, if you experience dizziness or memory loss a few days after your treatment, you need to consult your doctor immediately. Sometimes the effects of a head injury may not be seen immediately after the accident. These delayed effects translate into internal head injuries. Therefore, if you fall on your head or hit your head, then there might not be symptoms of a major injury immediately, be on the lookout for any signs and symptoms after a few days. Take care in future to prevent any injuries to your head. It is always wise to wear a helmet while riding a two wheeler and know the importance of quick medical help for serious head injuries.
