Head Bleeds and Trauma
All head injuries should be considered serious. You may not have any bumps or bruises at the time of the injury, however, let your treatment center determine how serious the injury is. Call them and describe the incident and your symptoms. Your nurse or physician can tell you whether to treat right away or just watch for symptoms. Bleeding into the brain can occur with no visible bruising to the head. Don’t take chances.
Signs you may be having a head bleed
- A hard blow to the head
- A headache that does not go away, or gets worse
- Confusion
- Dizziness, clumsiness, stumbling, falling
- Irritability
- Sudden vomiting, with or without nausea
- Drowsiness, sluggishness
- Difficulty staying awake or trouble waking up
- Dilated or unequal pupils, eyes not moving together
- Seizures
- Slurred speech
- Loss of consciousness (passing out), numbness, tingling
- Double vision, blind spots, blurred vision
- Light sensitivity
- Stiff neck or back
- Trouble walking
- Muscle weakness or not able to move a muscle
Call your physician or treatment center if any of these symptoms appear.
Being proactive when it comes to protecting yourself
- Make sure that your home is childproofed to prevent household accidents.
- Always wear appropriate headgear and safety equipment when biking, in-line skating, skateboarding, snowboarding or skiing, and playing contact sports.
- Consistently use a seat belt or child safety seat.
- Allow adequate time to heal after an injury.