Almost every year, many individuals ends up with some form of head damage. It is vital to note that head trauma is classified as a wound to the head, scalp, neck or the brain.
The trauma is considered as a significant injury that can result to serious medical issues and even death. If an individual is suspected with this injury, several signs should be monitored to determine the seriousness of the injury.
Headache
An immediate sign of head trauma is a headache. Once the head is struck, a headache is likely to occur. Nevertheless, the seriousness of the headache is a main factor.
A headache from a minor head trauma is expected to settle in a few minutes up to hours and only causes mild pain. In case the pain does not seem to subside or excessively severe, it might be a sign of a bigger underlying issue such as a fractured skull or swollen brain.
Loss of consciousness or confusion
The signs that are linked to head trauma might arise over a matter of hours or days. Since the individual dose not show any signs of trauma, it does not necessarily indicate that he/she is fine.
If head trauma progresses, the individual might lose consciousness or becomes drowsy. Even if the individual was alert after the injury, the signs can arise hours after the injury. In case the individual sustained trauma and hours later starts to lose consciousness, a doctor should be seen.
General confusion is also a sign that is linked but this is not noticed right away. You should pay close attention to the movements and conversations since this helps determine if they are becoming confused.
What are the other signs?
Even if the individual appears fine and does not have a headache, there are other indications that might pinpoint head trauma that starts to manifest over time.
Monitor for any changes in the proportions of the pupils or inaccurate facial features as signs of damage to the brain. Other signs include loss of taste, impaired vision or hearing, limited motion in the legs or arms, low blood pressure, personality changes, slurred speech, clumsiness, vomiting and limited neck movement.
If the individual starts to show any of these signs after a head injury, bring him/her to the nearest emergency department. Remember that it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to head trauma. Lastly, monitor for any resurgence of these symptoms. Oftentimes, the individual might show these signs and start to feel better. Once this occurs, the symptoms might come back worse than before.
Quick Note / Disclaimer
The material posted on this page on the potential signs of head trauma is for learning and educational purposes only. To learn to recognize the signs, register for a first aid and CPR course with Ottawa First Aid.