The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 1.4 million Americans will suffer a traumatic head injury each year, resulting in about 50,000 deaths. A traumatic head injury, often referred to as a traumatic brain injury, occurs when a blow or jerk to the head or a penetrating head injury results in some form of damage to the brain.
Types
While people can sustain a variety of types of traumatic head injuries, skull fractures, contusions, hematomas and lacerations are among the most common. A skull fracture is a break in the skull bone resulting from a powerful blow or impact to the head. The skull is actually quite tough and designed to protect the brain, but a forceful blow to the head can result it fracturing it. Contusions, or bruises to the brain, indicate swelling or bleeding in the brain. A hematoma is a collection of blood that may be clotted that forms outside of the blood vessels. This can occur inside of the brain itself or between the skull and the brain. Finally, lacerations are another traumatic head injury characterized by tearing in the front or side lobes of the brain or of the actual blood vessels in the brain.
Causes
Traumatic head injury can happen for an assortment of reasons. Motor vehicle accidents, falls, gunshot wounds to the head, blows to the head and physical abuse when the brain is shaken are common causes of head injuries. Additionally, certain medical conditions can cause severe brain injury, such as stroke, tumors, toxic chemical exposure, lack of oxygen to the brain and infections.
Symptoms
Both physical and psychological symptoms may be present after sustaining a traumatic head injury. Headache, convulsions or seizures, vomiting, pupil dilation and slurred speech are some common symptoms of a traumatic head injury. Confusion, agitation, lack of coordination and the failure to wake from sleep are other symptoms to look for if a severe head injury is suspected. Furthermore, blurry vision, decrease or loss in hearing, ringing in the ears, bladder and bowel incontinence and weakness in the limbs may also indicate a traumatic head injury has occurred.
Treatment
If a severe head injury is suspected, your health care provider will likely perform a CT scan or MRI to initially determine where the injury is located and the severity of the injury. The course of treatment for a traumatic head injury is highly dependent on the type of injury sustained and can vary greatly. Surgery may be necessary to remove any clots, relieve pressure in the brain or to repair a fracture to the skull. It is not uncommon for doctors to put head injury patients into a drug-induced coma to temporarily slow down brain function to allow the brain to heal. Various medications are given to head injury patients such as diuretics to diminish the amount of fluid in the brain and anti-seizure medications because after a brain injury is sustained there is a high likelihood of the patient having seizures. Shunts are also commonly used to drain fluid from the brain to help re-establish normal function to the cells.
Prognosis
The prognosis for a person who suffers a traumatic head injury really depends on the location and severity of the injury. Damaged brain cells cannot be restored so the focus tends to be on preventing further damage and restoring as much function to the brain as possible. The CDC suggests that about 5.3 million people in the United States are suffering from long-term effects resulting from a traumatic head injury. Some people who suffer a traumatic head injury will fall into a coma, in which case they are alive and the brain is functioning minimally, but they are not responsive to their surroundings. Other possible outcomes for those who suffered a severe head injury are cognitive impairments such as thinking, reasoning and memory skills and sensory impairments such as hearing and seeing. Those who survive a traumatic head injury may also have to learn basic functions all over again such as walking, writing and talking. The most severe outcome upon suffering a traumatic brain injury is death.
Warning
If you suspect you or someone else has suffered a traumatic head injury, it is imperative to seek medical attention right away. The quicker the injury is assessed by a doctor, the quicker treatment can begin. The risks of long-term effects are decreased.
Tags: head injury, traumatic head, traumatic head injury, traumatic head, traumatic head injury, brain injury, severe head
