Head injuries - a minor bump or something more serious?

British head injury statistics make disturbing reading. Around one million people receive emergency care for head injuries annually. Although many of these injuries will be minor, one in five will need to be admitted to hospital.

Head injuries account for one per cent of all deaths, but for 15 to 20 per cent of deaths in five to 35 year olds. About 50 per cent of traumatic deaths are associated with head injury, and 60 per cent of deaths in road traffic accidents are the result of head injury.

Head injury is the most common cause of death in abused children.

The most common causes of head injuries are:

• road traffic accidents;
• assaults;
• falls from windows in young children;
• falls in the house in the elderly and toddlers;
• sports injuries, particularly boxing or rugby.

Types of head injuries
Head injuries are sometimes called "concussions" or "traumatic brain injuries" (TBIs) and can range from mild to severe. Most mild head injuries cause no harm, but sometimes even these can cause serious, long-term problems.

• A concussion is a jarring to the brain. A person may pass out for a short while when concussed. They may even feel a bit dazed or lose their vision or balance for a while.
• A brain contusion is a bruise of the brain. There may be some bleeding in the brain, causing swelling.
• A skull fracture is when the skull cracks. Sometimes the edges of the broken bones cut into the brain and cause bleeding or other injury.
• A haematoma is a bleed on the brain that clots. It may only develop as late as a few weeks after the injury and sometimes needs urgent surgical treatment. It may cause a headaches, restlessness, vomiting, balancing difficulties and strange behaviour.

When to get help
Getting a bump on the head, particularly in children, is very common and it is often difficult to know whether it is serious or not. You should get medical help if you notice any of the following:

• any symptom that is getting worse, such as headaches, nausea or
• drowsiness;
• difficulty waking someone from sleep;
• unusual behaviour, particularly irritability and confusion;
• not knowing one’s name or where one is;
• pupils of different sizes or pupil that are dilated (bigger than normal);
• difficulties speaking or walking;
• drainage of bloody or clear fluids from nose or ears;
• vomiting more than two or three times;
• seizures;
• weakness or numbness in the arms or legs.

Prevention
The best way to protect yourself and your family from head injuries is to prevent them from happening in the first place.

• Wear a seatbelt and ensure that young children are in a child safety seat or booster.
• Never drive or undertake any other higher risk activities under the influence of alcohol.
• Wear a helmet and ensure that children wear helmets when cycling, playing contact sports, skating, riding a horse, skiing or snowboarding.
• Minimise hazards in your home by removing tripping hazards such as electrical cords and rugs and fitting window guards to prevent children falling out of open windows.

This article was first appeared as part of a longer article in the spring issue of Health and Homeopathy.

Dr Cleve McKintosh MBChB (UCT) DMH (SA) MCFP (SA) MFHom is a family physician working in isolated clinics in South Africa where he integrates allopathic medicine with homepathy. If you would like to know more about homeopathy, or wish to find a homeopathic practitioner, visit: www.trusthomeopathy.org