It’s summertime, which means more and more people are outside enjoying outdoor sports and activities. The risk of injury may slightly increase, so it is important to be able to identify which symptoms are worrisome. Head injury symptoms are especially crucial to know about, as this type of injury can be life threatening.
Head injuries are caused by trauma to the scalp, skull, or brain and can be very dangerous. Concussions are the most common type of head injury and occur when the brain is jarred hard enough to bounce against the skull. A concussion can disrupt the normal functioning of the brain and have long-term effects if left untreated. Other traumatic brain injuries include a contusion, which is a bruise on the brain that causes swelling or a hematoma, and skull fractures.
Head injuries that appear to be more serious than a concussion require emergency medical treatment. Warning signs may include:
- Convulsions
- Confusion
- Loss of consciousness
- Distorted facial features
- Slurred speech
- Severe headache
- Vomiting
- Inability to move one or more limbs
- Low breathing rate
- Memory loss
- Double or fuzzy vision
If you notice some of these symptoms after a fall or accident, seek medical attention immediately.
