Knowing identify a head wound can make the difference between life and death in an emergency. Head wounds can be open, with apparent bleeding, or closed, with no physical signs at the site of the injury. Using your powers of observation, you may be able to help save a life if you determine that someone has sustained a head wound. The following information is in no way meant to substitute for professional medical advice.
Instructions
Identify Head Wounds
1. Determine the mechanism of injury. A head wound is suspected if someone has just been in a car accident, gotten into a physical fight, been hit with a blunt object or fallen from a height, such as off a ladder or a roof.
2. Check for bleeding. Head wounds generally produce heavy bleeding due to the number of blood vessels located around the brain. Look for broken skin, which varies from a minor scrape to a small cut or even a gaping open wound.
3. Look for skull deformities. A head wound can cause the outside of the skull to become larger and misshapen due to swelling around the injured area. Alternately, there could be sunken or depressed areas where the skull--and possibly the brain tissue--is pushed in.
4. Keep an eye out for bone fragments or brain tissue. If the mechanism of injury is very violent, the force may have shattered the bones in the skull and they might protrude through the scalp. In the case of a head wound where there is physical injury to the brain, look for gray matter at the wound site.
5. Check for bleeding or cerebro-spinal fluid coming from the nose or ears. Bodily fluids sometimes leak from places other than the suspected site of the head wound, so be alert for a bloody discharge or cerebro-spinal fluid--which is clear or slightly greenish-colored--flowing out of the nostrils or ears. This indicates a major injury to the skull or brain.
6. Consider that the wound may not be visible. A closed head wound means that the skin isn't punctured. However, there can be internal bleeding, contusions, subdural hematomas or other injuries, such as a concussion. The symptoms of a concussion may include unequal pupils, blurred vision, confusion, headache and dizziness, indicating a closed head wound.
7. Determine if the person has an altered state of consciousness. Someone with a head wound may not be aware of their surroundings or remember what day it is. Ask the victim simple questions, such as name and address, the name of the current president and the current date. If the answers are inaccurate, it's likely that a head injury has occurred. If the person is unconscious, this is also a good indication that there is an open or closed head wound.
Tags: head wound, closed head, closed head wound, Check bleeding, Head wounds, Identify Head