Head injuries are among the most concerning injuries and can impact people of all ages. One type of head injury is a closed head injury. Understanding closed head injuries, including their causes, symptoms, and treatments, can help people who have suffered from this type of injury or are providing care to someone affected by a head injury.
What Are Closed Head Injuries?
An injury to the head that does not penetrate the skull is known as a closed head injury. This category of injury includes any type of trauma, as long as it doesn’t cause the skull to break. However, a lack of breakage in the skull doesn’t necessarily indicate a less severe injury.
Closed head injuries can range in severity from minor to life-threatening, and the soft tissue and brain can still sustain major damage from violent movement or trauma. A closed head injury can also cause broken facial bones and brain issues, such as a concussion or intracranial hemorrhage, also known as bleeding in or around the brain.
Causes of Closed Head Injuries
There are many causes of closed head injuries, as various situations can result in trauma to the head or neck area. Falling can cause this type of injury, particularly when the fall occurs from a significant height. Car and motorcycle accidents can cause closed head injuries, particularly if the individual involved in the crash sustains whiplash. Participation in certain sports may also lead to closed head injuries, especially contact sports like wrestling, boxing, hockey, and football. Bike accidents can cause closed head injuries as well.
Symptoms of Closed Head Injuries
The severity and cause of the trauma will often have an effect on the symptoms a person has after suffering a closed head injury. A mild closed head injury, such as a minor bump on the head, may not produce any symptoms. A more severe injury may cause physical symptoms like:
- Headache.
- Hearing problems.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Vision problems.
- Bruising, bleeding, or swelling on the scalp or around the eyes and face.
- Dizziness.
- Difficulty walking or maintaining balance.
- Losing consciousness.
- Feeling sensitive to loud noises or bright lights.
- Seizures.
- Clear fluid or blood draining from the nose or inside of the ears.
Those suffering from closed head injuries may also experience mental symptoms due to the trauma to the brain. Some examples of mental symptoms of this type of injury include:
- Difficulty paying attention.
- Confusion or memory troubles.
- Mood changes.
- Changes in behavior.
- Feeling irritable.
Any or all of these symptoms can indicate the presence of a closed head injury and warrant immediate medical care.
Treatment for Closed Head Injuries
Treating closed head injuries depends on the severity as well, but it often includes brain rest with minimal stimulation and medications to treat the physical symptoms. Those who struggle with balance and walking may also receive physical and/or occupational therapy. Treating the mental symptoms of a closed head injury might include therapy or counseling with a professional who specializes in this type of injury.
Understanding the causes and effects of closed head injuries can help individuals seek out help when needed for themselves or those around them. Treatments can also help those affected by closed head injuries resume their normal activities and improve their quality of life.
