Most people have bumped their head at some point, and usually it is minor: the skull is hard and protects the brain. Some head injuries are more serious — a skull fracture, a concussion or a traumatic brain injury.
Open and closed injuries
- In a closed injury, nothing breaks through the skull.
- In an open, or penetrating, injury, an object pierces the skull and enters the brain.
A closed injury is not necessarily the milder of the two. Common causes of head injuries include falls, motor vehicle crashes, violence and sports.
Get help immediately if the injured person has
- a headache that gets worse or will not go away
- repeated vomiting or nausea
- convulsions or seizures
- an inability to wake up
- a dilated (enlarged) pupil in one or both eyes
- slurred speech
- weakness or numbness in the arms or legs
- loss of coordination
- growing confusion, restlessness or agitation
These are the warning signs of a moderate or severe head injury.
Diagnosis and treatment
Doctors diagnose a head injury with a neurological exam and imaging tests. Treatment depends on the kind of injury and how severe it is.
Sources
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Head Injuries," drawing on the NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://medlineplus.gov/headinjuries.html
- Rewritten in hubnx's own words.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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