Severe head injury
Most head injuries are not severe, but if you have a concussion (temporary brain injury), it can last weeks, so it is always better to get medical help.
Symptoms
Signs of a severe head injury include:
- Unconsciousness – a collapsed person remains unresponsive, even for a brief time
- Concussion – a sudden short loss of mental function occurs after an injury to the head; a person with a concussion may have looked confused but
- Fits or seizures
- Problem with speaking or staying awake
- Crises with the senses – such as hearing loss or the double vision
- Vomiting in repeated episodes
- Blood or a fluid coming from the ears or nose
- Memory loss (amnesia)
- Swelling or discoloring around both eyes or behind the ear
- Hardship with walking or coordination
When to seek a medical aid
You should go to the hospital if someone has impaired their head and:
- A fierce blow cause damage to the head, like encountering an accident
- If the person has had prior brain surgery
- The person has had earlier problems with uncontrollable bleeding or a blood clotting disorder
And other issues like having drugs or getting yourself into trouble and getting a shot.
Diagnosing a severe head injury
If you have a severe head injury, then there is a chance you may have a brain injury, so you’ll have a CT scan to assess the seriousness of the damage.
Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) test assesses head injuries; a scale from 3 to 15 indicates how crucial your head injury is; these signs show the severity of the damage. A GCS score of thirteen or above usually would mean a minor head injury, and a score of nine to twelve is a moderate head injury. If an individual has a severe head injury, they’ll score eight or less.
You’ll be closely monitored and frequently reassessed if you have a severe head injury to check your condition.
Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD Microbiology
Page last reviewed: 04 October 2022