You may have a simple head injury and in some 1 unfortunate the person can be dead the next day morning. Hence, it is important to know which head injuries require immediate medical evaluation and treatment. A head injury may be a trauma to the skull or the brain.
What are the features that indicate serious head Injuries?
After a fall if you have severe bleeding from the scalp or face, vomiting, and severe headache, bleeding, or leakage of watery fluid from the nostrils or ears, confusion or loss of balance on walking means that the head injury should not be ignored even if there is no significant external injury to the head. Slurred speech, seizures or fits, unequal pupils, loss of consciousness would all mean that the head injury is serious.
What are the symptoms in children that should put you on alert?
It is significant to understand that all symptoms mentioned above can also occur in children. Besides this, persistent crying, refusal to eat, bulging in the soft spot on the front of the head, and repeated vomiting are dangerous symptoms in children after a head injury.
What are the first aid steps while waiting for emergency medical help?
Till you get medical help or an ambulance on call, keep the person still. The head-injured person should be made to lie down with the head and shoulders slightly elevated. Do not move the person unnecessarily. Please avoid moving the person’s neck. If the person is wearing a helmet, do not remove it. To stop any bleeding, apply firm pressure to the wound
with a clean cloth. Watch carefully for any changes in breathing pattern or consciousness. If the person is not showing signs of circulation like breathing, absent pulse, or coughing or is without any movement, then immediately begin CPR.
What are the possible risk factors for head injuries?
The people most at risk of traumatic brain injuries include children, especially from new burns to 4 years of age. Young adults between 15 and 24 years. Adults aged 60 years and above and males in any age group. Older adults are prone to falls, besides head Injuries, they may also fracture their hip or spine, or wrists.
What precautions are necessary to prevent falls in the elderly?
Please install handrails in washrooms. Put a non-slip mat in the bathroom. Do not have rugs near the bathroom doors. Install handrails on both sides of staircases. Improve lighting in the rooms, particularly near washrooms and staircase. Keep stairs and floors free from clutter. Elders should have a regular vision check-up. By exercising, they may maintain balance and prevent falls.
What precautions should be taken if you are on blood thinners?
A trivial head injury can cause brain hemorrhage, particularly in the elderly. This is because the brain shrinks as we get older Many elderly people are on Aspirin, Clopidogrel, or anticoagulants following a cardiovascular event or after angioplasty or bypass surgery. They should avoid falls and head injuries. How to prevent head Winder/ Always use a seat belt in a motor vehicle. Make sure that there is an adequate number of airbags in the vehicle. A small child should always be on the back seat, well secured in a child’s seat. Do not drive under the influence of alcohol or sedatives and other drugs. Always wear a helmet while riding a bicycle or scooter or motorcycle. While on the road, make sure that you do not drive, walk or cross the street while using your cellphone or tablet or any smart device. These distractions can lead to accidents or falls.
What are the imaging tests required after ahead, These depend on the initial assessment of your doctor?
A CT scan of the brain is usually performed if there is a suspicion of traumatic brain injury. A CT scan can quickly pick up fractures of the skull, uncover bleeding in the brain and also blood clots and brain tissue swelling. Once the person stabilizes or symptoms do not improve after a head injury, Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI is necessary. Timely evaluation and treatment after a head injury can prevent serious damage to the brain and can save precious lives. At best, head injuries can always be prevented. More than one person is dead due to traumatic head injury every minute on this planet.
