When you hit your head hard enough to injure your brain, but without damaging the skull, doctors call it a “closed head injury,” which just means there is no skull fracture or opening. A closed head injury can be every bit as serious as an open head injury, according to Eric Stiner, MD, Chief Resident of Neurosurgery at UCLA Medical Center--and should not be taken lightly. Here are some steps to take to treat a closed head injury.
Instructions
1. Whenever there is a moderate to serious head injury, it is important to undergo a neurological examination and to have images taken that show more than just the bones, such as a CT scan or MRI scan, depending on the severity of the blow to the head. When in doubt about the severity of a head injury, play it safe and get a medical evaluation.
2. Don’t do anything strenuous for six weeks following a closed head injury. This means no heavy lifting, no major exercising and no contact sports. Even though you might feel better, it is important to let the brain recover completely.
3. Keep the head above the waist for six weeks. While you might love yoga or gymnastics, now is not the time to perform downward dog, headstands or cartwheels. It’s important during the first six weeks following any head injury to keep pressure off the head and to keep blood pressure in the head low.
4. If you’re suffering from headaches following a closed head injury, take a pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol). Avoid pain relievers such as aspirin (Bayer), ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve), which all can cause increased bleeding, according to Dr. Stiner. “In rare cases , there could be a small, undiagnosed bleed in the brain. Medications that increase bleeding can turn a small bleed into a major hemorrhage quickly.”
5. Dr. Stiner emphasized the importance of seeking a medical evaluation if there are changes in mental status, persistent headaches or any of the following symptoms: confusion, lack of balance, difficulty with coordination, strange statements, slurred speech, dizziness, lightheadedness, loss of consciousness, sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, blurry vision, light sensitivity or seizures. These can all be signs of a more serious head injury and should not be ignored.
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