Head Trauma

Head trauma is a fairly common occurrence in the United States. They can range from a simple concussion to a traumatic brain injury. The incidence of head trauma in the United States is 25 cases per 100,000 people.  Trauma to the head may or may not include injury to the brain and is a common cause of childhood hospitalization. Head injuries are nothing to be taken lightly and medical attention should be sought immediately in the event of one.

A head injury can include injury to the brain as well as other parts of the head including the skull and the scalp. Head injuries can be closed or open, this all depends on whether the skull is broken or not. A penetrating head injury occurs when an object penetrates the skull and breaches the dura matter. Head trauma can be diffuse, occurring over a wide area or focal and located in a small confined area.  A skull fracture may or may not cause injury to the brain.  There are two main types of skull fractures, linear and depressed.

Head trauma can result in a variety of head injuries, some of which are relatively minor, and others require aggressive intervention. One of the most common head injuries is a concussion. This is marked by dizziness,  Headache, nausea, and amnesia of events that lead up to the concussion. The amount of amnesia usually correlates with the severity of the injury. Treatment for a concussion includes observation as well as waking the patient up frequently so they do not lapse into a coma.

Epidural hematomas are a common head injury where a rapidly occurring hematoma forms between the dura and the cranium. Patients with head trauma of this sort may have a loss of consciousness followed by a lucid period then once again a period of lost consciousness. Although death can occur if the injury is not treated promptly, prognosis is generally good with proper medical intervention.

Subdural hematoma is a serious head injury where the vein between the cerebral cortex and the draining venous sinus is torn. Surgical evacuation is the chosen treatment for this type of injury. As with all head trauma, observation of the patient is important to determine if there is any brain damage and to what extent. Head injuries are not to be taken lightly and that is why emergency response personnel and hospital staff treat all head injuries as serious matters until they know otherwise through testing.