A child has a head injury from being hit by a ball. Signs, consequences and treatment of head contusion

TBI (traumatic brain injury) is a collective concept that implies various types of mechanical damage to the skull and its structures ( meninges, vascular and nerve plexuses, brain tissue). Displacement of brain structures can be caused by rupture of brain tissue structures or blood vessels, or brain contusion.

Pathogenesis

Mechanical damage to the skull is accompanied by various types pathological processes(mixture, infringement) cause development intravenous pressure. In response to serious damage, the body reacts acutely, in the form of subcellular, cellular and tissue disorders. In addition, a violation develops cerebral circulation, permeability of the blood-brain barrier. Due to the increase in fluid, severe edema and swelling of the brain develops.

In the process of mixing or pinching, compression of the stem formations in the cerebellum area is possible. The cerebellum is one of the parts of the brain that is responsible for the regulation and coordination of movements. Any violation of brain structures entails the development of pathological processes.

Causes

TBI can result mainly from any mechanical disorders:

bruise of soft tissues during a serious concussion or injury without a fracture of the bone base;
bone fracture with displacement of fragments that violate the integrity of tissues and protective membranes;
damage to brain structures due to direct exposure to a wounding object;
increased intracranial pressure;
introduction of bacterial or viral infection, as a result of which the functional capabilities of the brain are impaired.
massive bleeding from damaged vessels.

Factors contributing to the occurrence of traumatic brain injuries:

car crashes;
domestic fights;
injury during competitions;
accidents at home and at work;
gunshot wound.

Classification

Based on the nature of the damage caused, traumatic brain injuries are divided into:

open head injuries (contact of brain structures with the environment);
closed head injuries (this condition is characterized by brain damage with damage to the skin, but without damage to the aponeurosis structures).

According to the severity of the damage caused, TBI can be of 3 degrees:

mild degree (according to the Glazko scale – 14-16 points);
moderate severity (according to the Glazko scale – 9-13 points);
severe degree (according to the Glazko scale – 8 points).

TBI can occur in the same patient several times, this is directly related to his lifestyle.

Today there are several clinical forms head injuries.

Concussion

A concussion is a mild, reversible condition that a person’s brain may experience due to the influence of various mechanical factors, such as a fall, being hit by a heavy object, and so on. Concussion is equally common in both children and adults and occupies a leading position in the frequency of occurrence among all traumatic brain injuries.

The following factors can cause the development of a concussion:

car accident;
a strong blow to the head resulting from a fall;
injuries during sports competitions;
work injury;
It is worth highlighting criminal circumstances separately.

Symptoms of concussion development

The main and main symptom of the development of a concussion is a short-term loss of consciousness immediately at the time of injury. The only exceptions in such cases can be children or elderly people, due to the characteristics of the body. After receiving an injury, symptoms such as:

vomiting (most often it is one-time, occurring immediately after injury);
change in normal heart rate;
short-term partial memory loss;
rapid breathing.

These are all short-term manifestations of damage. Arterial pressure stabilizes quite quickly, body temperature remains within normal limits.

After regaining consciousness, victims usually complain of the appearance of the most various symptoms, such as expressed headache, constant dizziness, nausea, turning into vomiting (most often one-time). In addition, patients complain of tinnitus, ringing, sometimes reaching a deafening state. The victim also feels a feeling of weakness, discomfort, blurred vision, and severe sweating. Many of those who have suffered a traumatic brain injury complain of sleep disturbances, even to the point of insomnia.

Usually, general state A patient with a concussion recovers fairly quickly. However, it is also worth considering that a headache can continue to bother a person further, but for other reasons, which, of course, it is advisable to identify.

Features of the manifestation of concussion in people of different ages

In newborns and children infancy A concussion most often develops without loss of consciousness. Immediately at the time of injury, the child becomes pale, the heartbeat quickens, the pulse becomes uneven, and severe lethargy and drowsiness are noted. During feeding, the child may spit up, often even vomiting, anxiety and sleep disturbances. All symptoms disappear literally after 3-4 days.

In children aged 5 to 7 years, a concussion also occurs without loss of consciousness, and general symptoms disappear after 3-4 days.

In older people, as well as in newborns, loss of consciousness is extremely rare. This condition is extremely dangerous for them, due to the fact that the body is not able to quickly regenerate damaged areas and fully recover, possibly further development severe irreversible complications. However, there is pronounced disorientation in space and time. Headaches that accompany a concussion are often pulsating and localized in the back of the head.

Diagnostics

In concussion research, one of the most important factors is to clarify the circumstances of the injury and obtain information from witnesses.

A concussion has almost no objective diagnostic signs. In the first few hours after the injury, the doctor and witnesses to the incident may observe a loss of consciousness, twitching of the eyeballs, and a pronounced lack of coordination of movement and balance.

A concussion cannot be diagnosed using laboratory methods diagnostics, because:

cerebrospinal fluid unchanged, pressure normal;
no fracture bone structures skulls;
Ultrasound scanning does not indicate displacement or infringement of brain structures.

Most often, a concussion is a specific screen for more serious damage to brain structures, so such patients require urgent hospitalization in the neurosurgical department for observation.

Pathology can be identified on the basis of such manifestations as complete loss of consciousness, feeling of nausea, single vomiting, dizziness, headaches.

First steps when identifying a concussion:

immediately after the first signs of a concussion appear, it is necessary to call an ambulance for further hospitalization;
a traumatologist should examine the victim in the department and prescribe a further examination plan;
If the diagnosis is confirmed, urgent hospitalization is necessary.

Brain contusion

Contusion of brain structures is mechanical damage to the cranial vault and brain tissue, which in most cases is accompanied by the development of an area of necrosis.

This kind of injury can occur as a result of a car accident, at home or at work, during a beating, falling from a height (as a rule, people during this period are under the influence of alcohol or drugs), during an epileptic attack or extreme sports and recreation. As a result of the development of such pathology, a violation of the highest nervous activity, which manifests itself in the form of focal or cerebral symptoms.

There are three main degrees of bruise development: mild, moderate and severe.

Brain contusion mild degree

The degree of brain contusion is mild, diagnosed in almost 15-20% of victims from all recorded cases. Most often this type of damage occurs in childhood, due to the nature of the activity. Children tend to fall a lot and hit their heads.

With mild bruises, they are extremely rare, but skull fractures and subarachnoid bleeding still occur. This pathology is characterized by the following symptoms:

short-term loss of consciousness;
dizziness;
nausea and vomiting;
severe headaches;
tachycardia or bradycardia;
development of arterial hypertension is noted.

Moderate brain contusion

There are much fewer victims with moderate severity of brain contusion; according to statistics, less than 10% of all recorded cases. This condition is characterized by interrupting the victim in unconscious up to seven to nine hours, violation of vital important functions, deterioration in the general condition of the body - increased body temperature, impaired visual acuity.

More often average degree The severity of brain damage is combined with subarachnoid bleeding and a fracture of the skull.

A moderate brain contusion is characterized by the following symptoms:

longer loss of consciousness;
severe headaches;
dizziness;
repeated vomiting;
constant feeling of nausea;
mental state disorder;
tachycardia or bradycardia;
In the puncture of the cerebrospinal fluid, the presence of blood cells is noted.

Severe brain contusion

Severe brain damage is diagnosed in 7% of victims who come to the hospital. A person receiving this type of injury may long time be in a coma, with the development of concomitant asymmetric and symmetric decerebration (disabling brain functions). Most often the victim is in critical condition, in which all body functions deteriorate.

Symptoms of the development of severe damage to the brain matter manifest themselves in the form of prolonged loss of consciousness, impaired swallowing function, severe motor activity. The development of meningeal symptoms and, in extreme cases, cuts to the extremities are also noted.

In addition, most often this type of condition is accompanied by extensive fractures of the skull bones and subarachnoid bleeding. During non-provision health care in such a situation can cause death.

Symptoms

Regardless of the degree of development of a brain contusion, this condition is accompanied by various symptoms:

general signs of brain dysfunction;
impaired visual acuity, speech and hearing;
retrograde amnesia;
dilated pupils;
increased heart rate;
heart rhythm disturbance;
increased blood pressure;
cuts to limbs;
development of coma, stupor or stupor;
loss of sensation in some areas;
bloody discharge from the nose and ears;
violation of the swallowing reflex;
increased body temperature;
weak, rare breathing.

Diagnostics

If you receive any type of head injury, you must immediately seek help from specialists, since the course of serious problems may be hidden.

The main method for diagnosing a brain contusion is an x-ray examination, which can be used to diagnose fractures and areas of damage to brain structures. To clarify the necessary details when prescribing treatment, the doctor may prescribe a computed tomography.

In addition to this, in mandatory Consultation with the following specialists is required:

ophthalmologist;
neurologist;
in case of serious injuries, the operating traumatologist.

Additionally prescribed lumbar puncture and electroencephalogram.

Brain compression

An early sign of the development of compression of brain structures is increasing inhibition while maintaining full consciousness and orientation in time and space. In addition, there is a pronounced dilation of the pupils, a slowing of the pulse, and increased breathing. As compression progresses, the victim may lose consciousness.

A pronounced clinical picture of brain compression, as a rule, appears after a certain period of time; this moment in medical circles is called the “lucid interval”. Refusal to hospitalize during this period may lead to fatal outcome.

Experts have identified several main signs of this pathological condition:

anisocoria;
paresis of limbs;
bradycardia;
epileptic seizures;
"lucid interval".

Diagnostics

Magnetic resonance or computed tomography is most often used to diagnose brain compression. In cases where these two methods do not bring the necessary results, diagnostic craniotomy is resorted to.

An epidural hematoma on CT scans looks like a zone increased density, it can be biconvex or flat-convex. The hematoma has clearly defined boundaries and, as a rule, is localized in one or two lobes of the brain.

Subdural hematoma has specific type The photographs show a crescent-shaped zone with altered density. Most often, such hematomas spread to both hemispheres of the brain.

Intracranial hemorrhages in affected patients with severe anemia have the same density as the brain matter itself. However, blood clots differ in their density from all other structures, so they are easier to differentiate.

Indications for hospitalization

The generally accepted indications for hospitalization for traumatic brain injury are:

epileptic seizures;
coma;
post-traumatic amnesia;
open or closed fractures skull structures;
bleeding;
decreased level of consciousness; - obvious loss of consciousness;
focal neurological disorders;
general deterioration in condition, without visible improvements.

First aid to the victim

At the first suspicion or appearance of symptoms similar to the manifestation of a traumatic brain injury, the victim must be urgently taken to medical institution to identify the cause of deterioration in health. Only specialists with help various methods diagnostics can determine the severity of injuries. And in some cases, the victim may need immediate surgical intervention.

In cases where the victim has lost consciousness, he must be brought back to his senses using available methods. It could be light blows to the face, cold water, offered cotton wool, moistened ammonia under your breath

After the person has been brought to his senses, he must be placed comfortably on his side to prevent vomit from getting into the Airways. If it is impossible to free yourself from vomit, the oral cavity must be cleaned for the same purpose.

In case of injury to the soft tissues of the skull, treatment of the damaged area and application of a sterile bandage is required to avoid infection. If any bleeding develops, even minor, it must be stopped. This is usually done well by pressing the damaged vessel against the bone base with a finger, after which the area of the suspected rupture is treated and a sterile bandage is applied to it.

For more serious head and neck injuries, the victim must be completely immobilized until the ambulance arrives. This is done using a tight collar or improvised materials.

For severe headaches, the victim can be given a simple painkiller. Tablet medications can only be used if there is no vomiting or nausea. It is contraindicated to use for pain relief. narcotic drugs, as they depress the respiratory system.

Diagnosis and treatment regimen

Diagnosis of craniocerebral herbs is based on the consistent implementation of all necessary laboratory and instrumental studies.

Assessment of all vital organs and systems of the victim.
Determination of the level of consciousness according to the Glazko scale.
Assessment of focal neurological disorders.
CT or MRI.
X-ray examination of the cervical spine (in most cases, TBI is combined with damage to the cervical spine).
Survey craniography (necessary if a depressed fracture or fracture of the base of the skull is suspected).
Differential diagnosis of traumatic brain injuries is carried out with comatose states of various etiologies.

Treatment regimen

Mild traumatic brain injury does not require specific treatment, it is enough to consult a specialist and follow all the prescribed recommendations.

Moderate to severe TBI requires a more serious approach. In such cases, hospitalization, a full range of diagnostic and therapeutic measures. The victim must be immobilized and properly transported to medical institution for further manipulations.

Surgical treatment. This stage is indicated in all cases of traumatic brain injury. For milder degrees of pathology development, primary surgical treatment, with more severe conditions full surgical intervention is necessary. Volume surgery depends on the patient’s condition, and in some cases trepanation is necessary, and in some cases restoration of damaged bone structures is sufficient.

In order to preoperatively assess the patient’s condition, it is necessary to focus on the following factors:

state of the cardiovascular system;
airway patency;
presence of chronic diseases;
state of the respiratory system;
collateral damage;
circumstances of injury.

In cases where increased intracranial pressure, the operation is postponed and carried out drug therapy aimed at reducing it. This is due to the fact that with increased intracranial pressure during surgical intervention hernial protrusions or infringement of brain structures may develop.

Conservative therapy. This stage of treatment is necessary for any condition, as painkillers, antihypertensives, sedatives and much more are used. In some cases, anticonvulsants are prescribed.

In addition, in the moderate and severe stages of development of traumatic brain injury, the patient needs supportive care. intensive therapy, aimed at restoring all vital functions of the body.

Complications

Depending on the severity there are different kinds complications.

The following complications are typical for severe traumatic brain injury:

widespread axonal damage;
cerebral contusion;
compression of brain structures;
coma;
traumatic hematoma;
vegetative state.

Traumatic hematomas can occur with any type of injury, regardless of stage. The most important step in such a situation is diagnosis. Timely medical care can prevent the development of more serious complications.

If a long period over time, compression of the brain structures occurs, and damage to the oculomotor nerve is possible, without the possibility of recovery.

The absence of normal functioning of the cerebral cortex is called a vegetative state of the brain - this is one of the most severe complications.

Consequences of injuries

Only a year after receiving a TBI can one judge the consequences, since both positive and negative changes in the victim’s body can develop within a year. The consequences of TBI most often depend on the patient’s age and general condition of the body. The older a person is, the greater the risk of developing more severe irreversible consequences.

For a more convenient classification of all possible consequences The Glazko scale was created, which is divided into several main points:

Get well. Signs of TBI are completely absent, the victim returns to the usual rhythm of life.
Moderate disability. The victim experiences some neurological and mental disorders, but he is partially able to work, but this prevents him from fully returning to professional activity. The victim can fully care for himself.
Severe disability. The victim is completely incapacitated and needs assistance outside help. Mental and emotional condition be in a depressed state.
Vegetative state. The patient is unable to respond to any stimuli with outside, he is in a coma without the ability to perform any actions.
Death. The traumatic brain injury was fatal; the patient had no signs of life at all.

Forecast

People almost always get a headache after hitting their head. This is a normal and common occurrence and should not cause panic. In any case, if the pain lasts a short period of time. It is necessary to sound the alarm when the discomfort in the head does not go away for a very long time. Usually this phenomenon serves as the first sign of serious brain damage. Concussions are an injury that many people experience. What should you pay attention to? How can you tell if you have a concussion? And what to do after you hit your head? Understanding all this is not as difficult as it seems.

Start

Signs of a concussion can vary. They, as practice shows, differ depending on the age of the victim. Therefore, it is worth understanding: a child, an adult and an old person have different signs.

The first step is to understand how grass behaves in ordinary person middle aged. The first time after the impact plays a huge role. Typically, during this period, one-time vomiting, clouding of mind (with short-term amnesia), and rapid breathing are possible. Also, after a blow to the head, the victim has a headache with any movement, the pulse quickens or slows down. These manifestations disappear very quickly; they can accompany a person for half an hour. It all depends on the degree of injury.

In adults

The first signs of a concussion are clear. But, as practice shows, defining injury in this way is very problematic. Typically, diagnosis is based on a description of a citizen’s complaints. What can be observed some time after receiving a concussion?

There are many options for the development of events. In any case, with serious injuries, you will experience nausea and even vomiting. We are talking about repeated incidents. General weakness of the body, sleep disturbances (usually in the form of insomnia), pressure surges - all this also indicates a concussion.

Headache after hitting your head for a long time? Something like migraines has started? Is the temperature fluctuating? Does your face turn red for no reason? Then it's time to go to the doctor. You most likely have a concussion. It is noted that in adults, trauma is often manifested by memory loss (amnesia), sweating and tinnitus. It is possible that you will simply feel uncomfortable. Pay special attention to these signs.

In children

Hitting your head doesn't have the best consequences. People often experience concussions after such an injury. A fairly common occurrence, with minor head trauma it does not cause much harm. Only serious damage can negatively affect the development of the body. Especially for children.

It has already been said that the concussion will manifest itself in at different ages differently. You will have to closely monitor your child if he hits his head. Newborns usually turn pale and their heart rate increases. But after this, sleep is suddenly disturbed. During feeding, numerous regurgitations are possible, the child behaves restlessly, and may cry for no reason for a long time. This injury is difficult to detect in newborns.

But older children can already tell something about their condition. After an impact In principle, the manifestations of injury are similar to those observed in infants. But only sometimes a child can get short-term amnesia. This normal phenomenon, indicating a concussion.

Old men

What else should you pay attention to? In older people, hitting the head has quite serious consequences. Basically, like at any other age. Only older people are more vulnerable. And their concussion manifests itself somewhat differently than in children or young people.

Most often, old people will have a headache after a blow, and they will also experience disorientation for some time. Short-term amnesia in old age is also common. Pressure surges, pale skin, loss of consciousness - all these are signs of a concussion. True, as practice shows, primary loss of consciousness in old age occurs less frequently than in young people. Take this into account.

Localization of pain

Often, it is the location of the “accumulation” of pain after hitting the head that can indicate a particular injury. True, it is not recommended to diagnose yourself. It is advisable to consult a doctor for a correct diagnosis.

Does your head hurt when you bend over after an impact? Quite normal. But try to concentrate and understand exactly where and what type of pain bothers you. A concussion is usually indicated by a pulsating, localized

Additionally, the victim, regardless of age, will experience dizziness. All go away in about 2-3 weeks, but sometimes they persist for a longer period of time. What to do if you just hit your head hard? What measures need to be taken immediately? It doesn't matter whether you have a concussion or a simple bruise, you need to understand exactly what to do.

Cool

To prevent the formation of a hematoma after an impact, immediately after the injury it is necessary to apply ice to the site of the injury. A damp, cold towel also works.

In general, cool the injury site by any means. This approach will not only prevent the appearance of bumps and bruises, it will also help to cheer up and improve the general condition of the victim. Especially if we're talking about about minor injuries. If you suspect something serious, call a doctor or an ambulance immediately!

Bed rest

Does a person feel sick after hitting their head? Most likely he has a concussion. The next point of action is compliance. That is, immediately after the blow it is necessary to transfer the “victim” to horizontal position. But in such a way that after regaining consciousness the person feels comfortable and comfortable.

By the way, for concussions, the absence of brain tension, as well as bed rest, are the main methods of treatment. Therefore, try to provide the person with peace for a while. Just don’t leave the victim alone - maybe he will need your help!

Peace and quiet

The next point is suitable for all cases in which a headache occurs after hitting your head. A person needs to be provided not only with bed rest, but also with silence. Make sure that there are no additional sources of noise around the victim. In this case, the headaches will not be as severe and will pass faster.

It would be good to provide a person with sleep. You can use sleeping pills. Just don't overdo it. In general, doctors do not welcome such a decision. A person must fall asleep on their own.

The last thing to note is that sometimes the pain can be dulled with painkillers. A very good approach, especially if you just hit your head hard, and now you can’t rest, sleep, or just get to the doctor. It is recommended to take tablets available without a doctor's prescription. A few No-Shpy tablets should help. Potent drugs It is prohibited to take without a doctor’s prescription, even in case of unbearable headache.

Basically, that's all. If you have headaches for a long time after hitting your head, consult a doctor. Usually drug treatment neither for concussions nor for bruises is required. Only in extreme cases. Performance is also not disrupted too often. So don't panic if you hit yourself!

A head injury is one of the most dangerous injuries. Head contusions are characterized mechanical damage, interrelated with internal brain damage while maintaining the integrity of external tissues. The consequences of blows or falls are the main cause of head injuries, which pose a danger to humans and lead to various damages World Championship department. A head injury in a child is dangerous for children.

What to do if you have a head injury? Timely action taken in the event of such an injury will prevent dangerous consequences from developing.

What happens when you have a head injury?

The result after injuries and bruises for the injured person may be different. This happens because each organism reacts individually. For many people, bruises most often end in healing without consequences. But even with minor injuries and bruises, complications may arise that will lead to serious consequences for the health and life of the patient.

TBI disrupts the functioning of the brain, its membranes, and all nearby soft and hard tissues. The brain lobes and sections are also affected.

With a severe head injury, the likelihood of getting negative consequences is associated with the intensity of the damage - the harder the patient is hit, the stronger the bruise of the soft tissues of the head and the deeper its penetration into the internal layers.

Serious consequences include hemorrhage in the brain tissue, under the membrane, as well as a skull fracture. All of them aggravate overall health.

Changes that occur in the brain after injury are divided into:

Primary - depend on the traumatic factor.
Secondary – associated with pathology in the nutrition of tissues and their damaging effects.

Due to the blow, damage can occur in the brain not only at the site of direct injury, but also on the opposite side of the head. For this reason, spasms of blood vessels occur, some of them rupture, ischemia occurs, tissue swelling occurs, and everything ends in internal hemorrhage.

Complications of a head blow can manifest as oxygen deprivation. Due to insufficient oxygen, energy processes proceed anaerobically. In this regard, acidic metabolic products accumulate and have a damaging effect - edema develops, intracranial pressure increases. Additional compression of the brain occurs, and hypoxia worsens. Severe bruise head may also be accompanied by a fracture of the skull bones, its base, which aggravates clinical picture, increases swelling, provokes infection of brain tissue.

Damage classification

According to the severity of the injury, head contusions are:

Mild damage is caused by a brief fainting, slight loss of memory of events preceding the injury, fast recovery, reflexive eye movements, decreased sensitivity. Recovery period lasts no more than three weeks.
Average damage has more than pronounced violations. The person’s condition is a prolonged loss of consciousness, the patient is incompletely sane for two days, there is a disturbance in the movement of the entire body, nystagmus, and signs of retrograde amnesia.
Severe - patients must remain under the device. The severity of the condition is manifested by prolonged loss of consciousness or coma, disturbances in the eyes, and increased mental excitability. As well as pathology of swallowing, speech, eye, respiratory functions, in the suppression of normal reflexes.

Symptoms

Even kids know that from not strong blow a lump appears on the back of the head or forehead, a short-term headache.

With bruises of the soft tissues of the head, pain also occurs, but this symptom is not severe and does not last long.

Symptoms of a bruise can be divided into three syndromes:

General cerebral – the brain’s reaction to the injury;
Local - depends on the damaged area - the most serious damage, for example, is the medulla oblongata.
Meningeal - irritation of the meninges.

The first type of syndrome includes the following symptoms:

Headaches of a diffuse nature.
General malaise.
Dizziness.
Loss of consciousness.
Memory interruptions or complete loss.
Nausea, vomiting.

With local symptoms, it is possible to determine which parts of the brain are affected. When the back of the head is bruised, visual impairment occurs. With a bruise of the frontal part, the following picture is observed:

Loss of consciousness is replaced by sudden motor activity.
Consciousness is disturbed.
Unreasonable aggression.
Euphoria.

Meningeal signs indicate severe brain damage. These include:

Intense pain syndrome.
A bruise on the back of the head provokes muscle tension in the area of the bruise and back.
Constant nausea and vomiting that does not bring relief.

Unconscious movement eyeballs, the pupils become different in size.
The sensitivity and activity of the half of the body opposite the one on which the damage occurred is significantly reduced.
Most often, especially in children, a swelling or lump appears at the site of the bruise.
The formation of hemorrhage or hematomas can be observed in both adults and children.
Some patients experienced an increase in temperature.
There was bleeding from the nose.

Important! TO dangerous symptoms include when the victim “slows down”, he can see increased drowsiness, a squint appears in the eyes or they literally move apart, the pupils differ in size. “Glasses” syndrome appears; fluid leaks from the eyes and nose due to a rupture of the dura mater of the brain. In such a situation, urgent hospitalization of the victim is necessary.

First aid

First aid for head injuries is responsible for the effectiveness of subsequent treatment. It can be provided by anyone near the victim.

Before the medical team arrives, the victim should be laid down to prevent possible vomiting your head should be turned to the side and cervical region must be secured using any available means.

If there are inserted dentures and other foreign bodies in the oral cavity - they must be removed.

If there is intense pain, swelling or hemorrhage, it is necessary to apply it to the injured area to relieve them. cold compress or a bag of ice, which is made from plastic bag by pouring water into it and placing a piece of ice. Cold can be applied until the doctors arrive, but the compress should be removed periodically to prevent hypothermia from occurring.

If you have a TBI, you should seek help from a doctor. Only an experienced specialist will carry out necessary examination and put accurate diagnosis, on the basis of which a treatment regimen will be drawn up.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of the victim is carried out in a medical institution. He undergoes an external examination, palpation, and anamnesis.

The neurologist gives an opinion after checking the neurological status at the level of consciousness, contact, orientation, muscle tone, balance, memory and tendon reflexes.

The traumatologist prescribes an instrumental examination:

To exclude bone fractures, an X-ray of the skull is performed.
A spinal tap is performed to determine the number of electrocytes.
CT is necessary to determine the location of the injury, the extent of edema, and ischemia.

Once the doctor has all the information from the examination, he will be able to prescribe treatment.

Treatment

After reviewing the diagnostic results, the traumatologist will determine the type, duration of treatment and rehabilitation.

IN medical practice There are two methods of treating a head injury from a fall: conservative and surgical.

Surgical therapy is indicated for large hematomas, displacement of brain structures and severe intracranial hypertension, not eliminated by medications.

Conservative treatment consists of taking diuretics, anticonvulsants, oxygen, infusion therapy and antihypoxants.

Patients with more serious injuries are given special care in the intensive care unit.

In the hospital, patients are provided with bed rest for up to three days. Active movements are limited on the day of injury and for a period of two weeks. To relieve swelling, fluid intake is reduced during this period.

If you have a head injury, the patient should use the following medications:

Analgesics are used to relieve pain. The choice of drug depends on the symptoms.
With the development of vegetative instability nervous system- Propranolol.
For insomnia - Relaxone, Phenazepam.
Nootropics are prescribed to improve brain function and prevent the consequences of injury.
When edema develops, diuretics are used.
An attack of convulsions is stopped intravenous administration Sibazon.

Treatment of the head at home is permitted only under the supervision of the attending physician. Locally to the bruised area temporal region or other places indicated for use various ointments, restoring tissue, strengthening the walls of blood vessels, relieving swelling and resolving blood clots. During the rehabilitation period, the doctor prescribes physiotherapy, as well as treatment with folk remedies.

Consequences

Most often, a head injury can be cured completely without consequences and in a short period of time. However, there are cases where in some patients the manifestation of the bruise was late. Injury sustained in early childhood, can make itself felt in mature age and even leads to disability. A bruise to the back of the head has serious consequences, such as:

traumatic asthenia, causing deterioration in performance, difficulty concentrating;
depression, insomnia, memory problems, irritability;
hallucinations;
dizziness;
weather dependence.

With absence effective treatment the victim may develop more severe consequences- cerebral edema and death.

Do not delay diagnosis and treatment of the disease!

Make an appointment with a doctor!

Head impacts, according to statistics, occupy a leading position in the list of both household and sports injuries. This is one of the most common reasons dangerous injuries. You can get injured anywhere - hit your head on the ice, the back of your head when slipping on a smooth surface, you can be hit on the head with a bottle in a hooligan fight, or you can hit a corner or get hit on the head with a ball in the simplest children's game.

Such injuries are very dangerous, because a blow to the temple leads to loss of consciousness, and after a strong blow to the head in the parietal part, you can not only get a concussion, but also a fracture of the skull bones.

Types of damage

A head impact can cause both visible and internal damage. Doctors distinguish the following types of head trauma resulting from an impact:

First aid for injury

Typically, if the head hits a hard object, the classic signs of a traumatic brain injury will begin to appear. Most frequent symptoms TBI after a person falls and hits himself - loss of consciousness, vomiting - confuses those around him who do not know what to do with the victim.

Actions before the ambulance arrives

Usually, such an injury can be encountered anywhere - on a hike, on a hike, in a remote area. It’s good if those around you know what to do and can provide first aid. Before the ambulance arrives, you need to provide assistance to the patient. You can do this as follows.

The victim needs to put ice on his head; if there is no ice at hand, apply a cold rag or any cool object. Cold will cause contraction blood vessels, and resist possible bleeding. Also, with the help of cold, swelling is significantly reduced, which determines many symptoms of traumatic brain injury.

After this, you need to examine the patient; perhaps he has a sore neck, which may indicate a violation of the integrity of the vertebrae in this area. If you lose consciousness, do not hit the victim on the cheeks - this may aggravate the injury. It is better to let him smell ammonia.

If blood appears on the head, there are wounds or abrasions, they must be treated: either rinse with Hydrogen Peroxide, or dissolve one Furacilin tablet in half a glass and wash the wound with this solution. If blood spurts out in the temple area, you need to press the artery tightly with your fingers and immediately call an ambulance. Then gauze is moistened in Furacilin and a bandage is applied to the wound surface. If these remedies are not available nearby, you can use Miramistin ointment. The bandage is secured with a plaster, and large wounds are wrapped with a bandage.

If vomiting occurs, the patient is placed on his side, doing everything possible to ensure that the contents of the stomach come out as smoothly as possible. Oral cavity clean with a gauze swab or any clean flap.

Medications

If speak about medicinal assistance, then if there is profuse vomiting, the patient can be given an injection of Etamzilate or Metoclopramide. For severe headaches, it is recommended to give two Analgin tablets.

What to do next?

The victim must be handled with the utmost care - do not move him abruptly, cover him sun rays, let him get enough sleep. After you have the opportunity to get to the hospital, a consultation with a doctor is required.

You should not avoid visiting the hospital - refusal of treatment and careless attitude towards your health will not contribute to recovery, and the consequences of a blow to the head can bring a lot of complications.

Without proper treatment, patients may further suffer from migraines, weather dependence, and fatigue.

If an injury occurs, even if first aid was provided correctly, doctors recommend calling an ambulance and taking the patient to the nearest medical facility, where it is possible to do a CT scan of the brain. Only with the help of this type of diagnosis can we clearly answer what the brain damage is and how serious it is. Typically, doctors refer urgent patients to the neurosurgery department or traumatology department.

If it is not possible to use this type of help, at least an X-ray of the skull, an examination by an ophthalmologist and an echoencephalography are necessary, which will help confirm or refute the presence of intracranial hemorrhage. In order to establish a clear localization of the hematoma, you need to contact a specialized medical institution. Usually a referral is given there from the clinic where the patient was taken.

The term bruise defines an injury to the soft tissues of a certain area of the human body without violating the integrity skin. It occurs when there is excessive mechanical impact when a person falls from a height (including the height of one’s own height) or when directly struck by a blunt object. Head contusion is a fairly common occurrence; it can occur at work, at home, among athletes, after road accidents, and also among children. The further prognosis of the course of this traumatic injury depends on the correctness of first aid.

What's happening

The brain is vital important body, therefore it is localized in the cranium and is surrounded around by bones that perform protective function. When there is excessive impact from a blunt object or a person falls, a sharp shock to the head occurs. In this case, the brain, which is 70% fluid and a soft structure, hits the walls cranium, which leads to his traumatization. In this case, the vessels of the microvasculature are damaged with small pinpoint hemorrhages in tissues, swelling of the intercellular substance, resulting from the release of blood plasma from the vessels, inflammatory reaction. Against the background of such traumatic changes, the nutrition of neurocytes (cells of the nervous system) may deteriorate with subsequent irreversible changes in them.

To imagine the mechanism of development of head contusion and damage to the structures of the central nervous system, you can shake half a bottle mineral water. In this case, the liquid hits the walls of the vessel with the formation of quite large quantity bubbles.

Manifestations

Depending on the intensity of the mechanical impact, there are several degrees of severity of head contusion, which have different clinical manifestations:

Understanding the clinical symptoms of a head injury, the presence and severity of injuries will make it possible to provide assistance correctly.

What to do

In case of a head injury, it is important to provide proper assistance prehospital stage. In case of a bruise of the soft tissues of the head without loss of consciousness, the injured person should apply cold to the area of injury (a bag of ice, a bottle of cold water, towel or napkin moistened with cold water). This will avoid the development of pronounced tissue edema (under local exposure to cold, a spasm of arterial vessels occurs with a narrowing of their lumen and a lower intensity of plasma release into the intercellular substance of tissues), as well as stop possible hemorrhage in the tissues. subcutaneous tissue and reduce the severity pain syndrome. Then the victim should be carefully examined, first of all, pay attention to the symmetry of the pupils, face, ask to stick out his tongue (normally it extends along the midline without moving to the sides), ask the person providing assistance to squeeze the fingers tightly and evaluate the symmetry of muscle strength. If a person is unconscious, then the scope and nature of first aid measures change:

The victim is placed on his back on a hard surface, with nothing placed under his head to prevent the tongue from retracting and the development of asphyxia (suffocation).
Visually check the patency of the upper respiratory tract and, if necessary, free it from vomit or foreign objects using tweezers or carefully with your fingers.
If vomiting develops, the head of the injured person should be turned to the side to prevent vomit from entering the respiratory tract.
They call an ambulance, and before it arrives, they monitor vital signs (presence of breathing, frequency and completeness of the pulse).

Regardless of the severity of the head injury, it is important not to delay in contacting medical specialist(call an ambulance or take the victim to a trauma center), since this injury can often be accompanied by damage to the base of the skull or other bones that are not determined visually, but only with x-ray examination. Hemorrhage under the membranes of the brain is often accompanied by a “lucid interval”, when for several hours or days clinical symptoms absent and the victim feels relatively well. Then swelling of the brain tissue develops with loss of consciousness and a sharp depression of the vital functions of the body. To prevent such complications, it is important to consult a doctor in a timely manner.