Head Injury

What is a head injury?

A head injury is an injury that damages your head, including your skull and brain.

Most head injuries are minor, temporary issues. But some head injuries can cause serious complications — especially if they cause bleeding inside your skull or damage your brain.

Everyone’s bumped their head on an open cabinet door or taken an elbow during a pickup basketball game. And most of the time, you’ll only need a few days of rest to recover. But it’s never a bad idea to get a head injury checked out by a healthcare provider, especially if you’re experiencing severe pain or other symptoms that make you feel worried, confused or not like yourself.

Types of head injuries

Healthcare providers classify head injuries into two groups:

• Closed head injuries: These are head injuries that don’t break through your skull. Most head injuries are closed.
• Open head injuries: Something pierces through your skull into your brain. It usually takes severe trauma to cause an open head injury.

There are lots of different types of head injuries. Some specific injuries include:

• Concussions.
• Skull fractures.
• Scalp cuts or injuries.
• Traumatic brain injuries.

What are head injury symptoms and signs?

Head injury symptoms can vary depending on which type you have and what caused it. Mild head injuries may only hurt in one spot for a few minutes, or might not cause any symptoms at all once the pain and surprise of bumping your head naturally goes away.

Some signs of more serious head injuries can include:

• Headaches.
• Swelling or a raised bump you feel.
• Bruising.
• Bleeding (from your scalp, nose or ears).
• A stiff neck.
• Clear fluid (cerebrospinal fluid) leaking from your ears or nose.
• Dizziness.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Mental symptoms (like trouble concentrating, memory issues or feeling like you’re in a fog).
• Changes in your eyes or vision (including dilated pupils, blurry vision or anisocoria).
• Losing consciousness (passing out or fainting).
• Seizures.

How long after a head injury can symptoms occur?

Many head injuries don’t cause symptoms right away, especially closed head injuries that may be harder to notice at first. It can take hours, days or even weeks to start noticing signs or symptoms.

Visit a healthcare provider or go to the emergency room if you know you experienced a head injury or trauma and start experiencing symptoms of a head injury, even if you don’t notice them right away.

What are complications of head injuries?

Bleeding inside your skull (a subdural hematoma) is a potentially severe complication of a head injury. If blood builds up inside your skull, it can put extra pressure on your brain and damage it.

Head injuries may also cause intracranial hemorrhage — a type of stroke.

These complications can cause short-term or permanent damage to your brain.

Some people with mild head injuries have short-term memory loss and may not remember the hit or injury that caused the damage. More severe head injuries can permanently affect your brain function. You might experience permanent memory issues, mental health conditions or lose some of your ability to move or use parts of your body.

Head injuries can be fatal if they damage your brain’s ability to control your heart, lungs or other vital systems that keep you alive.

What causes head injuries?

Any strong force or impact can cause a head injury. You might picture something hitting you in the head, or smacking your head off an object (and those are common causes). But it’s also possible to experience a head injury from any force that suddenly shakes your body hard enough to make your head move violently.

Some of the most common causes of head injuries include:

• Falls.
• Car accidents.
• Physical violence (including assaults, stabbings or gunshots).
• Sports injuries.

What are the risk factors?

Anyone can experience a head injury. Some people who may have an increased risk include:

• People older than 65 or children younger than 4 (or anyone with an increased risk of falling).
• People with physically demanding jobs.
• Athletes who play physically demanding or contact sports.

How do providers diagnose head injuries?

A healthcare provider will diagnose a head injury with a physical exam, a neurological exam and some tests. Providers in the emergency room might diagnose the injury if you’re taken to the ER after a trauma.

Your provider will examine your head and neck. They’ll ask about any symptoms you’re experiencing and when they first started. Tell your provider how long it took symptoms to develop after the injury, and if you know the injury’s exact cause.

Your provider may use some of the following tests to diagnose a head injury:

• Concussion test.
• CT scan (computed tomography scan).
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
• X-ray.
• Blood tests.

What are head injury treatments?

Your provider will suggest treatments based on which type of head injury you have (and its severity). The most important part of treating any head injury is preventing bleeding and a buildup of pressure inside your skull. This will protect your brain and prevent complications.

Most people with mild injuries can manage symptoms at home with rest and by avoiding intense physical activities. If it’s safe for you to take pain relievers, your provider will suggest over-the-counter (OTC) acetaminophen. Most people can’t take NSAIDs after a head injury because they can increase the risk of bleeding inside your skull.

If you have a specific injury like a concussion or skull fracture, your provider will tell you what to expect. They’ll give a customized treatment and recovery plan based on the specific injury you have.

People with moderate or severe head injuries (especially traumatic brain injuries or open head injuries) may need surgery to repair the damage and manage bleeding and pressure inside their skulls. Your provider or surgeon will tell you which type of procedure you’ll need and how long it’ll take to recover.

You might need physical therapy after a head injury. A physical therapist will give you exercises to strengthen your neck muscles. This is especially important if you experience whiplash (a neck muscle strain).

What can you not do after a head injury?

Your provider or surgeon will tell you which activities you should avoid after a head injury.

This can be especially important while you recover from a concussion. Any activity that takes a lot of concentration may trigger concussion symptoms. Your provider may recommend that you take time off work, or that your child stay home for school for a few days. They’ll tell you when it’s okay to ease back into working or doing schoolwork based on how long it takes the symptoms to get better.

How can you prevent head injuries?

Head injuries often happen suddenly. Because you can’t plan for them, you may not always be able to prevent one. These general safety tips may reduce your risk:

• Wear the right protective equipment for all activities and sports, especially helmets or protective headwear.
• Always wear your seatbelt.
• Make sure your home and workspace are free of clutter that could trip you or others.
• Always use the proper tools or equipment at home to reach things. Never stand on chairs, tables or countertops.

What can I expect if I have a head injury?

Everyone’s body responds to head injuries differently.

Some people take a few weeks to recover from an injury, but sometimes, head injuries can naturally take months (or longer) to heal.

Talk to your provider before resuming your usual daily routine. Don’t return to exercise, training or playing sports until your provider says it’s safe. Giving your body the time it needs to heal doesn’t mean you’re weak. And rushing your recovery to get back to practice, games, training or work doesn’t mean you’re extra tough.

How do I know if my head injury is serious?

All head injuries are serious because it’s impossible for you to know if an injury damages your brain or the blood vessels around it. Visit a healthcare provider or go to the emergency room if you’ve experienced a head injury and notice any symptoms, even if they don’t start right away. Only a healthcare provider can diagnose a head injury properly and make sure your brain isn’t affected.

Which questions should I ask my doctor?

You may want to ask your provider:

• Which type of head injury do I have?
• Which tests will I need?
• Will I need surgery?
• How long will it take my head to heal?
• Which medications are safe to take while I recover?

Can you die from a head injury years later?

Yes, it’s possible for a head injury to be fatal or contribute to a person dying, even years after the fact. This usually happens in people who experience multiple, repeated head injuries (especially concussions or other types of traumatic brain injuries).

Experiencing multiple head injuries increases your risk of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE affects how areas of your brain function, communicate and work with each other.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Head injuries can include everything from a light bonk on the head to a life-threatening emergency. Even if everyday bumps and knocks don’t usually need special treatment, don’t ignore pain, swelling or other symptoms you notice.

Sometimes, potentially severe complications start small and get worse over time. You don’t need to panic, but don’t take a chance with your head and brain health. Going to the ER is your best bet when you notice symptoms or changes.