About Head Trauma & Pain

Head trauma is also known as brain injury, contusion or concussion depending on the type and severity of the trauma. Many cases of head trauma and pain will resolve themselves without any medical intervention. Common pain involved with head trauma includes headaches and neck pain, although more severe pain indicates more severe injuries and requires medical intervention.

Significance

• Millions of people suffer from the pain of head trauma every year in the United States. According to the Brain Injury Association of America, 1.4 million of these cases result in traumatic brain injury which means that the head trauma was severe enough to disrupt the function of the brain. Traumatic brain injuries can lead to permanent brain damage, and an estimated 50,000 people die from them each year.

Types

• Head trauma is any injury affecting the scalp, skull or brain. These injuries can range from a painful but harmless bump on the head to open head wounds with damage to the brain. Head injuries are separated into two types; closed and open. A closed head injury is one which does not break the skull. An open head injury means that the skull has been penetrated. Brain injuries are classified as concussions or contusions. A concussion occurs when the brain has been violently shaken, while a contusion is a bruise on the brain itself.

Prevention/Solution

• Head trauma and brain injuries can be avoided by always wearing a helmet when playing contact sports or riding a bike, skateboarding, skiing or driving an all-terrain vehicle. Seat belts should always be worn by the driver and all passengers of a motor vehicle. Falls can be avoided by using nonslip mats in bathtubs and showers and by having handrails on staircases.

Identification

• Recognizing the signs of serious head trauma are important to ensure that the injured receives proper treatment which may be life saving. An open head injury is easy to spot, but closed head injuries may not exhibit alarming symptoms for hours or even days after the injury. Signs to look for include unequal pupil size, impaired hearing, vision, taste or smell, paralysis in one or more limbs or drowsiness. A person suffering from a serious head injury may slur their words, complain of head or neck pain, or begin to vomit. These symptoms could indicate that there is bleeding or swelling of the brain which can be fatal.

Warning

• Call 911 immediately if a person suffering from head trauma stops breathing, becomes extremely confused or begins to display unusual behavior. For open head wounds, basic first aid should be applied while waiting for medical help to arrive. Try not to move the person unless they need to be rolled onto their side to prevent them from choking on their vomit. If the person is wearing a helmet, do not remove the helmet. Any objects piercing the skull should not be removed as removing them may cause permanent damage to the brain or death.