Head Injury - Causes and Symptoms

Head injury or head trauma is a condition that is still a big challenge in the world of medicine. The long-term impact of head injuries is not only on the patient's health condition, but also affects the mental health of the patient and his family.

For this reason, it is very important to know about head injuries, including their causes, types, symptoms, and treatment. Here is the complete information.

Causes of head injuries
The cause of head injuries can occur due to impacts resulting from traffic accidents, falls from heights, injuries during sports, or acts of violence
Head injuries can occur as a result of collisions during accidents, sports injuries, or trauma from acts of violence.
Head injuries are all types of injuries to the brain, tissue and blood vessels in the head, skull and scalp that occur due to impact. They can range from a mild bump or bruise to a traumatic brain injury.

Most of the causes of head injuries in Indonesia are motor vehicle accidents, of which the largest proportion lies in motorbike riders.

The young adult age group, aged 18-40 years, is the most vulnerable to head injuries. This is due to the high frequency of motor vehicle users in this age group.

In addition, there are several other causes of head injuries, namely:

Motor vehicle accident
Accidents caused by sports such as cycling, football, basketball, extreme sports, recreation and so on
Fall from a height
Acts of violence and persecution
There are several health conditions marked by bruising or bleeding in the brain, including:

Long term high blood pressure
Bleeding disorders
Use of blood thinners or certain recreational drugs
 
Types of head injuries
a. Concussion
b. Skull Compression Fracture
c. Epidural Bleeding
d. Subdural Hemorrhage
e. Brain Tissue Bleeding

So, it can be concluded that several brain injuries have different cases, even though the initial symptoms are similar.
Head Injury Symptoms
Common symptoms of a head injury are dizziness and headache and lightheadedness, nausea, weakness, loss of consciousness, confusion, difficulty concentrating and loss of balance
Symptoms of head injuries are often confused with ordinary headaches.
Signs and symptoms of head injury can differ depending on the type of injury experienced. The following are common symptoms of a head injury:

Loss of consciousness for some time
Headache and dizziness
Balance problem
Confusion
Double or blurred vision
Feeling lethargic or tired
Nauseous
Sensitivity to light or noise
Sleep disorders
Difficulty concentrating
Difficulty remembering and memory loss
 

Signs or symptoms that a more severe head injury may require emergency treatment include:

Terrible headache
Change in pupil size
Clear or bloody fluid drains from the nose, mouth, or ears
seizures
Distorted facial features
Facial bruises
Fracture in the skull or face
Hearing, smell, taste, or vision problems
Inability to move one or more limbs
Irritability
Loss of consciousness
Low respiratory rate
Restlessness, clumsiness, or lack of coordination
Slurred speech or blurred vision
Stiff neck which is usually accompanied by vomiting
Swelling at the site of the injury
Constant vomiting
Sudden worsening of symptoms

It's hard to judge how serious a head injury is just by looking at it. Moreover, some minor head injuries bleed profusely, while some major injuries don't bleed at all.

Therefore, it is very important to check the condition of a head injury with a doctor. Especially considering that the high death rate from head injuries is not only determined by the severity, but also the accuracy and speed of treatment. Handling head injuries quickly and appropriately can reduce mortality and disability.

Some cases of head injuries require surgery, even for certain conditions surgery will be a very important determinant for the survival of sufferers.