Head injuries cover everything from a minor scalp scrape to serious damage that can affect your brain. Injuries to the outside of the head and the inside can sometimes tell different stories, but other times a small injury may be a sign of much more serious underneath. Knowing how to act in those first few minutes can turn a frightening situation into a more manageable one.
Signs and Symptoms of a Head Injury
Head injuries can appear through physical symptoms and changes to a person’s behaviour. The signs of an injury can be immediate, but in some cases they can take hours or even days to appear.
Physical signs of an injury to the head include cuts, bruising, swelling, clear fluids leaking from the ear, and bleeding from the scalp. Behaviour signs include confusion, slurred speech, memory gaps around the event, drowsiness, repeated vomiting, a severe or worsening headache, blurred or double vision, light sensitivity, uneven pupils, or even a loss of consciousness.
Concussions and Other Traumatic Brain Injuries
Head injuries become traumatic brain injury when the damage extends past the scalp and bones. A closed head injury describes any damage where the skull stays intact, while an open head injury involves a break in the skull and exposed brain tissue.
A concussion is the mildest and most well-known form. It occurs when the brain is shifted inside the skull by a sudden jolt, temporarily disrupting communication between brain cells. Other traumatic injuries which can cause damage to the brain include:
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A contusion is a bruise on the brain.
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A diffuse axonal injury happens when the brain rotates rapidly inside the skull, tearing the long fibres that connect different regions.
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A haematoma is a pool of blood between the brain and the skull or within the brain itself.
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Skull fractures involve a break in one of the bones in the head.
First Aid to Get that Head Injury Treated
First aid for head injuries focuses on keeping the brain and spine stable, getting expert help fast, and watching for changes while help arrives.
Start by calling 000 straight away, especially if the person has lost consciousness for any length of time, is confused or drowsy, has fluid leaking from their nose or ears, has had a seizure, is vomiting repeatedly, has weakness or numbness anywhere, or has any sign of skull fracture.
A serious head injury can come with a spinal injury, so do not move the person unless they are in immediate danger or you are advised to by a medical professional, such as to put them in the recovery position. If you do need to move the person for any reason, treat the person’s head and neck as the same thing; supporting their head with both hands to keep it in line with their spine.
Control any bleeding from their scalp with a clean cloth and gentle pressure unless you have reason to suspect a skull fracture. In this case, press around the wound instead.
Stay with the person until paramedics arrive, watching for changes in how awake they are, how clearly they speak, and how easily they breathe. Note these changes along with the time of their injury and what caused it.
Recovery After Severe and Mild Head Injuries
Recovery from head injuries varies with the severity of the injury and the part of the brain affected.
The first 24 to 48 hours should be spent on full physical and mental rest in a quiet, low-light space, with screens, work, demanding reading, and driving set aside. Paracetamol can ease a headache, but aspirin and ibuprofen are best avoided due to bleeding risk, and alcohol should be avoided entirely until recovery is over. Activities after a head injury are reintroduced one level at a time, with light walking before short bouts of school or work, screens before exercise, and a day or two at each level.
Recovery from severe head injuries is longer and involves time in hospital, surgery, and rehabilitation with specialists in physiotherapy, speech, occupational therapy, and neuropsychology. A return of headache, dizziness, or trouble concentrating means stepping back to the previous level. Hold the line on contact sport until a doctor gives the all-clear, because a second concussion before the first has healed can cause far worse damage.
Enrol in First Aid Training
Head injuries come in many forms, but the first aid is largely the same. Anyone can call 000 for help, but it takes training to be able to properly apply pressure to a head injury. By enrolling in a first aid course, you can be the person keeping someone safe and breathing while waiting for an ambulance to arrive. Whether it’s a playground injury or a mate at a local sports game, you can be the person your loved ones depend on.
FAQs
How Soon After a Concussion Can Someone Return to Sport?
Australian community sport guidelines set a rest time of 21 days from the concussion before any return to competitive contact sport, including 14 days symptom-free at rest required before contact training begins.
Who Faces the Highest Risks of Head Trauma?
People over 65 face higher rates of falls and thus a greater chance of a blow to the head and a severe traumatic brain injury.
Is Wearing a Helmet Enough to Prevent a Concussion?
No. Helmets reduce the risk of trauma to the head by absorbing and spreading the force of an impact, but the brain can still move inside the skull after a hit. A player wearing a helmet still needs the same monitoring and rest after a hit to the head.
