The U.S. National Library of Medicine defines a head injury as any trauma that leads to injury of the scalp, skull or brain. The injuries can range from a minor bump on the skull to serious penetrating brain injury. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the main symptom after a head injury is a severe headache that starts suddenly and is often worse near the back of the head. The headache may start after a popping or snapping feeling in the head. Other symptoms may include decreased consciousness and alertness, difficulty or loss of movement or feeling, mood and personality changes, muscle aches, seizures, stiff neck, vision problems, nausea and vomiting and photophobia (sensitivity to light).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has referred to head injuries as the silent epidemic. The CDC calculates that over 1.5 million American suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI) annually. That translates to over 4,000 TBI’s each day. According to the CDC, one million persons are treated for brain injuries in U.S. hospital emergency rooms every year and over 50,000 individuals die annually. In addition, over 5.3 million Americans are currently living with disabilities and over 80,000 people are left incapacitated or with lifelong disabilities annually because of brain injuries.
According to the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), more immediate symptoms of a head injury can include:
The HHS also notes symptoms for infants that may have suffered a head injury they include:
The NIH and HHS classify head injuries into two major types: closed or open (penetrating) head injuries. A closed head injury refers to a hard blow to the head from striking an object. An open or penetrating head injury refers to an object that broke the skull and entered the brain. This type of injury typically occurs when the victim is moving at a high speed, such as going through the windshield of a car after an automobile impact. It can also occur from a gunshot wound to the head. Two common types of head injuries include concussion and contusion. A concussion is the most common type of traumatic brain injury and a contusion is a bruise to the brain. Contact Law Offices of Christopher Trainor & Associates at 248-886-8650 to know more.
