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Head Injury Symptoms

A head injury is any trauma that occurs to the scalp, skull or brain. The seriousness of an injury can range from a simple bump on the head to traumatic brain injury. Symptoms can vary depending on what type of head injury is incurred. In addition, symptoms can develop immediately or slowly over a period of several hours or days. Even if there is no fracture in the skull, there is still a possibility that there could be injury to the brain as well as to the spinal cord.

  1. Classifications

    • Head injury can be classified into two categories: closed injury or open injury. In a closed injury, there is no breaking of the skull; in an open injury, the skull has been broken by an object, and the object may have come into contact with the brain. The rating scale used to determine the severity of injury is the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), which is based on eye, motor and verbal abilities. Mild injuries are classified with a score of 13 to 15; moderate injuries carry a score of 9 to 12; and severe injuries have a score of 8 and under.

    Physical Bruises and Changes

    • Bruises and physical changes are the most obvious symptoms of a head injury to recognize. Look for fractures on either the skull or face, bruising on the face, wounds on the scalp and swelling at the site of injury. Clear or bloody fluid may also be draining from the nose, mouth or ears. Physical changes include changes in the size of the pupils, convulsions and distorted facial features.

    Personality Changes

    • After a traumatic injury to the head, personality can be affected. In children, the most common personality symptom is irritability. In adults, look for unusual behavior.

    Consciousness

    • Loss of consciousness is an important symptom, however, not all head injury sufferers will lose consciousness. Symptoms also include rapid changes in consciousness; symptoms will improve, then rapidly deteriorate. Watch out for drowsiness or confusion after the injury.

    When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention

    • If any of the above symptoms are noticed, seek immediate medical attention, especially if there is loss of consciousness, regardless of how brief. Call 911 if the patient develops a severe headache or stiff neck, vomits more than once, stops breathing, or you suspect that it is a serious head or neck injury.

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