Stay a’head’ of these injuries and you could save a life
With world head injury awareness day celebrated on 20 March, ER 24 has compiled a list of common questions that they deal with as part of their awareness campaign on this often misunderstood injury and what it entails.
POLOKWANE – Review spoke to a local paramedic, Rob Gordon, who also does first aid training, on how they deal with head injuries and how people can get injured in this way.
Gordon said that many of the issues arise when people do not understand head injuries and the difference between a brain and a head injury.
“The difference between a brain versus a head injury is really a matter of semantics and the terms are relatively interchangeable in medicine, however not all injuries to the head will result in injuries to the brain, this is rare,” Gordon says.
He says that a head injury can be described as a broader category that may involve damage to other structures such as the scalp and skull, whereas brain injuries can result in physical, cognitive and behavioral symptoms and the outcome can range from complete recovery to permanent disability or death. They may be minor, moderate or severe.
He added that a frequently asked question is if whiplash can cause a brain injury.
“Loss of consciousness is one (frequent) symptom which may present if a person has a head injury. It is a reliable indicator of severity for medical personnel, but certainly not the only symptom the public should worry about,” he says.
Other symptoms can include:
• a loss of consciousness
• convulsions or seizures
• repeated vomiting
• slurred speech
• weakness or numbness in the arms, legs, hands, or feet
• agitation
• loss of coordination
• dilated pupils
• inability to wake up from sleep
• severe headaches
“Brain injury often presents with symptoms related to the functions of the damaged focal area. An example would be the frontal area that is involved in social behavior, emotion regulation and decision-making, hence the common social/emotional and judgment deficits following moderate-severe brain injury. In some bleeds on the brain, which may collect rapidly, the patient could be talking and suddenly deteriorate to unconsciousness,” Gordon explains.
He says the typical difference between a minor and serious brain injury is divided into three different categories by doctors according to the symptoms shown.
1. Mild head injury – There is minimal injury to the outside of the head, with no (or brief) loss of consciousness. The injured person may vomit once or twice and complain of a headache.
2. Moderate head injury -There is a more obvious injury to the head, and the person may present with confusion and an altered level of consciousness. Other symptoms can include dizziness, drowsiness, nausea and vomiting, and seizures.
3. Severe head injury -There is serious damage to the brain, often together with other injuries to major body organs. In most cases, the person is unconscious or barely responsive.
Gordon urges people to rather seek immediate medical attention when they believe that a head injury occurred to make sure that there is no permanent damage or even loss of life because of the fact that a head injury can turn from something small into a big problem in no time and may be missed by the untrained eye.
