Head Injury
Causes
- Falls. Falls from bed or a ladder, down stairs, in the bath, and other falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injury overall, particularly in older adults and young children.
- Vehicle-related collisions. …
- Violence. …
- Sports injuries. …
- Explosive blasts and other combat injuries.
Symptoms
- Raised, swollen area from a bump or a bruise.
- Small, superficial (shallow) cut in the scalp.
- Headache.
- Sensitivity to noise and light.
- Irritability.
- Confusion.
- Lightheadedness and/or dizziness.
- Problems with balance.
Treatment
Always seek medical attention for a head injury. There is no specific treatment for mild head injury other than plenty of rest and not overdoing things. It can take some time for the brain to recover from a head injury and during this time, headaches, dizziness and mild cognitive (thought) problems are common.
Diagnosis
A cranial computerized tomography (CT) scan is the standard test in adults to assess the brain right after injury. A CT scan uses a series of X-rays to obtain cross-sectional images of your skull and brain.
