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Head Trauma Definition

Head trauma happens to everyone. Some head trauma might be minor and won't require medical attention. Some people experience head injuries that alter their lifestyle, while major head trauma can result in death. When it comes to the brain, it is imperative that a person with a head injury is cautious and seeks care.

  1. The Facts

    • Head trauma is an injury to the scalp, skull or brain. Approximately 2 million people in the United States suffer head injuries every year, with more than 500,000 cases requiring hospitalization. Between 75,000 and 100,000 of those injuries will result in death. The most common cause of head injuries is motorcycle and auto accidents, which account for half of all reported head trauma. Those age 15 to 24 are most at risk for a brain injury with head trauma.

    Types/Causes

    • People can experience different types of head injuries caused by a number of incidents. Some of the most common types of head injuries are concussions, brain contusions and skull fractures. A more severe head injury is intracranial hematoma (ICH), in which blood clots form around the brain. In addition to accidents involving motor vehicles, incidents that can cause injury and damage to your head include bicycle accidents, falling, playing outside, physical assaults, injuries due to firearms and industrial accidents.

    Symptoms

    • If you have suffered head trauma, you may experience any of these symptoms: pupils changing size or being unequal, fluid draining from the nose, mouth or ears, fractures and bruising of the face, swelling around the injury, impaired senses such as hearing, seeing, smelling or tasting, being unable to move limbs, changes in personality and behavior, lower blood pressure, restlessness and lack of coordination, severe headaches, loss of consciousness, confusion or drowsiness, stiff neck, and vomiting.

    Treatment

    • The method of treating head trauma depends on the severity of the injury and factors such as age, overall health and medical history and the type and extent of the head injury. Treatment of head trauma may require immediate medical attention as well as ice, rest, stitches, applications of ointments and adhesive bandages and surgery. Some head trauma may require a hospital stay for extended observations. This precautionary move is to monitor for intracranial pressure, or swelling inside the skull, which could lead to brain damage if the pressure caused by swelling is severe.

    Warning

    • Head trauma can cause major damage to a person's health and in some cases can cause death. Injuries to the head are a leading cause of disability and death among adults in the United States. More than 50% of severe head trauma results in death, and more than 5.3 million Americans live with a disability caused by a head injury. Ignoring the symptoms and not seeking medical attention quickly can be detrimental to an injured person's medical recovery. It is important to monitor for symptoms after a head injury and to call 911 if symptoms are present.

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