Head and neck injuries can become complicated because they protect the brain and control the spine. The most common type of trauma to the brain is a concussion. A concussion is when the brain is shaken, which can be a result of whiplash that may affect the neck and head in a sudden rapid motion. Head injuries are classified as either a closed head injury, which is a hard blow to the head from an object but the skull is not broken. An open head injury is when the skull is broken by an object, and the skull enters the brain. An open head injury may occur during a car accident in which the person goes through the windshield or a gunshot wound to the head.
Facts
A head injury is considered to be any trauma to the head, and a neck injury is trauma to the neck. Whiplash from a car accident is the most common cause of a neck injury. Head and neck injuries make up 5 to 10 percent of all trauma injuries. The understanding of the connection between the neck and the spine as well as the connection between the head and the brain is vital in a diagnoses and the creation of a therapeutic strategy.
Types
Neck injuries are most commonly caused by an accident. Whiplash is the sudden jerk of the head that causes a neck sprain. A sprain in the neck caused by whiplash is when the ligaments that connect the spine are torn or stretched. A concussion is a common type of head injury. Epidural hematoma is a head injury that is usually seen in patients with a head trauma. Subdural hematoma occurs when there is a tear in the vein that bridges the cerebral cortex and the draining venous sinus. Cerebral contusion is most commonly seen in children; it is the bruising of the brain tissue.
Identification
Pain and stiffness in the neck is the most common way to identify a neck injury. Symptoms from whiplash can take up to a few hours to develop. In certain cases, there are not any symptoms in a head injury. In most head trauma cases, the symptoms include unconsciousness, disorientation, drowsiness, confusion, personality change, nausea, headache, vomiting as well as a seizure or a coma. A patient may also appear to be conscious and may begin to deteriorate later.
Time Frame
Trauma to the head or neck can be severe and even life threatening. Close observation is required for all head and neck injury patients immediately after the incident. Patients with head trauma should return to the doctor after 12 hours of being released to evaluate if there will be a persistent problem. In head trauma for a concussion, it is important to reexamine the extent of the damage frequently. It can take only 15 minutes to distinguish between a grade one or grade two concussion.
Warning
There is no minor concussion; a concussion that goes unexamined has a higher risk of developing post-concussion syndrome, suffering from second impact syndrome or other severe neurological difficulties. If you have suffered from head or neck trauma, do not take aspirin, ibuprofen, Tylenol or any medication to treat a headache before consulting with your doctor. Neck and head injuries are considered a medical emergency and should be taken seriously. Some head and neck injuries may not have any symptoms, such as internal bleeding in the brain. It is important to also seek medical attention if you do not experience any symptoms of head or neck trauma.
Tags: head injury, head neck, head trauma, neck injury, most common