A head injury can be life-threatening and cause painful long-term issues if not treated quickly. This is why it is important to be able to identify a severe head injury right away. Serious head injuries share some common symptoms that you can look out for, but it’s also essential to know how head injuries can occur.
How do head injuries occur?
A head or traumatic brain injury (TBI) can occur when the head takes a collision, is pierced by something, or if the brain is shaken violently. The most common ways head injuries occur include:
- Sports Injuries
- Falls
- Car Accidents
- Recreational Activities
It is important to know the signs and symptoms of severe head trauma to make sure that you know when it’s time to get medical attention.
What are common head injury symptoms?
The symptoms of your head injury depend on the severity and type of injury. They may also be slightly different from person to person. However, there are common symptoms that people experience when dealing with both severe and mild head accidents.
Symptoms of a mild injury
Some of the most common symptoms associated with a mild head injury include a bump or bruise, minor cuts, a headache, lightheadedness, nausea, ringing in the ears, and many other symptoms. If you have experienced a mild injury, it is still important to seek medical attention. However, if you decide to watch and wait, you should be looking for some more severe symptoms.
Symptoms of a severe head injury
Severe symptoms may occur with serious injuries like a concussion or damage to the brain tissue. These symptoms include loss of consciousness, a headache that won’t go away, repeated vomiting, nausea, memory loss, blood draining from the nose or ears, slurred speech, weakness in one side of the body, and much more. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms, you should seek help immediately.
What are my treatment options?
The right treatment for your injury will ultimately be determined by your doctor based on how severe the injury is and the type of head injury. However, there are a few general treatments that include:
Medications – some medications that can be used to help treat a head injury are pain medicine, anti-seizure medicines, and diuretics(to help relieve pressure). You may also be given medication to induce a coma if your injuries are too serious.
Surgery – In some cases, emergency surgery may be needed. Surgery can be used to treat conditions like a hematoma, a broken skull, and swelling in the brain.
Rehabilitation – Often, rehabilitation is needed after a serious head or brain injury. Rehab can help you to regain the function that was damaged during the head injury.
When should I seek treatment at an ER?
There are several signs to look for after experiencing a head injury.
If you’ve experienced a severe head injury in which you lost consciousness, began to feel nauseous, have short-term memory loss, had a seizure, or began bleeding, you need to go to the ER immediately.
If you have suffered from a minor head injury, it is crucial to monitor the situation for certain signs that mean it’s time to visit an ER. These signs include a headache that won’t go away, slurred speech, numbness, dizziness, changes in eyesight, or discharge from the nose or ears.
PRESNow 24/7 Can Diagnose and Treat Head Injuries
If the condition feels like an emergency, call 911. If you’re experiencing head injury symptoms, seek medical attention and visit PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care.
Unlike most ERs or urgent care centers in the area, PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care in Albuquerque, patients are only billed for the level of services they need. The ER and urgent care are open 24 hours a day, every day. No appointment is required for in-person visits.
PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care has four convenient locations:
- PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care Paseo/San Pedro is located at 6400 Paseo Del Norte Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113, and may be reached at 505-596-2100.
- PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care Coors/Western Trail is located at 4515 Coors Blvd. NW Albuquerque, NM 87120, and may be reached at 505-596-2200.
- PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care Isleta/Rio Bravo is located at 3436 Isleta Blvd SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105, and may be reached at 505-596-2300.
- PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care Menaul/Pennsylvania is located at 7400 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110, and may be reached at 505-596-2400.
