Introduction
Head injury also referred to as head trauma or traumatic brain Injury is one of the most frequent types of medical emergency seen nowadays. Medically speaking head injury is any trauma on the scalp, skull, and brain.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) may take many forms, ranging from minor alterations in consciousness to death. The most lethal type of TB is a diffuse injury that is distributed across the whole brain and cerebellum.
A public health concern of high importance, head trauma is responsible for thousands of hospitalizations each year and costs the health care system billions of dollars.
The emergency department treats most of the patients with head trauma; the head injury is often compounded with other organ injuries. The patient is treated by an inter-professional team that is dedicated to treating head trauma patients.
Types of head injuries are:
- The most common form of injury is concussion, which results in the brain shaking.
- Scalp lacerations
- Fractures of the skull
Causes Resulting in Head Injuries
The primary contributing causes that result in head injuries are the following :
- Injuries related to motor vehicles (bike, cycle riding )
- Blunt force trauma to head assaults
- Car crashes
- Head over walking/running fall
- Since the skull protects the brain, most of these injuries are minor. Others are serious enough to warrant a hospital stay.Head injuries occur more often among children adults up to 25 years old.
The following activities during sports cause most of the brain injuries to individuals of all ages:
- Cycling
- Football
- Basketball
- Softball and baseball
- Operation of powered recreational devices such as go-karts, minibikes, and dune buggies
Contusions or haemorrhages of the brain have other causes, including:
- High blood pressure for prolonged periods (in adults)
- Bleeding disorders
- Consumption of blood thinners or some illicit drugs
Symptoms
Symptoms of head injury can be immediate or hours or days later. The brain could hit the interior of the skull and get hurt without the skull being broken. The head would appear normal, but issues could arise from the bleeding or swelling within the brain.
Head injury can lead to bleeding within the brain tissue or in the layers covering the brain. In severe accidents or fall from higher heights, the spinal cord can also get injured. Certain head injuries lead to alteration in brain function and such a situation is referred to as TBI i.e TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. Concussion is one form of TBI
Symptoms of concussion-like TBI are:
1.Confusion
2.Depression
3. balance or vertigo problems
4.foggy or double vision
5.dazed or sleepy
6.lethargic or tired
7.Headache
8.No memory
9.Nausea
10.noise or light sensitivities
11.disrupted sleep
12.trouble concentrating
13.trouble remembering
Head injuries that can be more severe than a concussion and require immediate medical care include:
- alteration of pupil size
- Leakage of a clear or bloody fluid from mouth, nose, or ears
- Stiff neck
- repeated vomiting
- swelling at the site of injury
Conclusion
The view that concussive injuries represent mild TBIs with minimal structural damage is widespread. Concussion is usually the result of direct head trauma followed by acceleration and deceleration forces. After concussion, the victim will have varied but transient degrees of altered mental status from minimal confusion to actual unconsciousness lasting a few minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is a head MRI and how does it work?
A head MRI is a noninvasive imaging examination which uses strong magnets and radio waves to produce diagnostic images of the brain and surrounding soft tissues, without using radiation.
Q. Why would my doctor order a head MRI?
Your doctor may order a head MRI to investigate possible causes of troubling symptoms such as migraines, dizziness, seizure activity, vision problems, or cognitive impairment. The imaging also helps your health care team uncover the possible effects of untoward medical problems such as stroke, an aneurysm, a tumor, multiple sclerosis, and infectious processes.
Q. What should I do to prepare for a head MRI?
You may need to refrain from food or other ingestion for a period of time before your scan. You will also be advised to remove all metal items (jewelry, watches, hairpins) and to wear loose fitting clothes that do not have metal such as zippers or buttons. You should make sure to inform your physician about any metal implants, metal fragments in your body, or if you have had kidney disease.
Q. Which is the best test for head injury?
If you’re looking for best tests for head injury, you need to consult with your doctor or physician. If MRI, CT scan or other scan recommended you can contact carebox for your Head scanning test.
