Common Head Injuries

Head injuries, also called head trauma, cover a wide spectrum of damage to the scalp, the skull or the brain. Most injuries to the head are fairly minor, although a head wound with a laceration will bleed profusely due to the number of capillaries in the tissue that send blood to nourish the brain. In an emergency, if you are not sure if the trauma is major, call emergency services (in the U.S. call 911) and tell them what happened. Some head trauma is very serious, if not life-threatening, even though it may not seem that way at first glance.

Open and Closed Head Injury

• There are two generalized types of head trauma: open and closed. A closed head injury, also referred to as "non-missile," is where the skull is not damaged, but the brain matter is. What happens is that the head is jolted hard enough that the brain shakes around and impacts the skull, which can cause confusion, convulsions and even death. Conversely, open head wounds are where the injury or an object has breached the bones of the skull and possibly the matter underneath, causing damage to the brain.

Bumps and Bruises

• A minor head injury is most often caused by a blow to the head, and you may see a bump on the head or bruising at the injury site. If the scalp is lacerated or cut, it will bleed considerably, and it can look more frightening than it generally is. Although all head injuries are different, symptoms can include dizziness, a slight headache, nausea or vomiting, flashing lights at the moment of impact, and changes in mood. No treatment is usually necessary (with the possible exception of stitches for the scalp wound), but it is important to watch the victim of a minor head injury carefully, as more serious symptoms may not show up for a day or two.

Concussion

• A concussion is usually caused by a hard blow to the head. Although it does not have to include loss of consciousness, a concussion can range from mild to severe. Commonly, the two symptoms that are most prevalent are loss of memory (amnesia) and confusion. Others symptoms may include headache, dizziness and ringing in the ears. It is a myth that victims of concussion must stay awake for 24 hours or risk death, but it is good sense to monitor the victim to make sure that delayed symptoms, such as trouble concentrating, respiratory distress, sleeplessness and memory issues, do not arise. Should those symptoms occur, the victim should be taken to the doctor or emergency room for examination.

Penetrating Head Injury

• Penetrating or open head injuries are when the victim has been hit with an object (generally at high velocity) that penetrates the skull and does damage to the brain. Most often, this is the result of an auto accident, bullet to the head or being hit in the head with a sharp object in such a way as to affect both the skull and the brain. In cases of severe head trauma, the victim should be taken immediately to an emergency room. According to a study done by Southern California Injury Prevention Research Center, a penetrating brain injury is six times more likely to be fatal than a closed head injury.

Long-term Effects

• Although no two brain injuries are identical, and each head injury is specific to the circumstances as well as the patient, Mount Sinai Medical Center (MSMC) lists some of the more typical long-term effects. These can include cognitive function such as problem-solving abilities, changes in personality, mood swings and emotional disorders and mild to severe memory loss. The patient can experience seizures, difficulty with balance and vertigo, changes in vision and hearing and severe depression.