Head injury treatment is diverse and very little may be done for a head injury or much intervention could be needed. Treatment depends upon severity of the injury and this isn’t always known right away. Except in cases where the severity is extremely obvious such as with huge wounds, penetrating wounds or evidence of concussion, the first treatment for head injury may be watchful waiting to determine if signs of a concussion develop. Each case is different, though, and people in doubt should always seek medical help if they feel head injury treatment needs to go beyond basic home care.
Lots of people bump or bang their heads on occasion. Children are renowned for such behavior and even adults will occasionally miscalculate and smack the head hard on a cupboard or shelf. Pain is the first symptom of this, but unless there are other symptoms like loss of consciousness, seizures, vomiting or unsteady gait, head injury treatment could simply involve icing the bumped area for about 15 minutes. The person who does have a slight head injury should be carefully watched for the next 24 hours to make certain no other symptoms develop. Any of the symptoms mentioned above suggest getting medical care immediately, as injury could have occurred inside the brain.
Directions for head injury treatment are different if a blow to the head results in loss of consciousness, even for a very short time period. This can suggest a concussion occurred and ongoing damage might be happening inside the head. When someone loses consciousness they should always get to a doctor immediately. At a hospital, treatment might take on different dimensions.
These could include x-ray or other scans of the brain to look for swelling or bleeding. A full neurological exam might be needed too. If bleeding is suspected, some people will need surgery immediately to place sensors in the brain that can measure pressure. If this pressure becomes too high, as from brain bleeding, surgeons could relieve it via a variety of surgical methods. Other head injury treatment in hospital settings might be administration of medications that reduce swelling or minimize chances of seizures.
Other forms of head injuries include those that involve cuts or wounds to the skin. These can almost always look extremely serious because there are so many blood vessels near the skin surface on the head. The first wound head injury treatment is to identify the area of the wound and apply pressure to it. Typically, pressure should be applied for 15 minutes. If bleeding is so profuse and this is impossible or continues beyond the 15-minute mark, people should get the injured person to a doctor. When bleeding stops and the wound can be bandaged, and has not been accompanied by any blunt trauma, it may be safe to remain at home.
In hospital settings, open head injury might be treated with stitches to close the wound. Any form of penetrating wound, where something pierces the skin is an emergency too. Surgery would be needed to remove any objects stuck in the head and to repair damage. Degree of penetration might involve more extensive surgery.
Given the variety of head injuries and the fact they can vary in severity, head injury treatment may be great or small. It can be easily handled with a few first aid tactics or it might need emergency help and surveillance immediately. It is not always easy to make the best judgment call when someone else gets injured. Thus, doctors frequently suggest that people in doubt seek medical treatment. It is far better to err on the side of caution than to ignore what may be very serious injuries.
