Primary Care

Self-Care Tips | Head Injuries

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Head injuries occur after a blow to the head. They range from lacerations, abrasions, and bruising to serious damage to the brain.

Symptoms of a head injury

• Severe headache
• Loss of consciousness
• Confusion
• Drowsiness
• Slurred speech or blurred vision
• Fluid draining from the nose, mouth or ears
• Memory loss
• Personality changes
• Change in pupil size
• A large bruise or "goose egg"

What you can do to avoid head injuries

• Wear your seat belt
• Don't drink or use drugs and drive
• Put gates on stairs to prevent falls
• Install window guards
• Lock up firearms; store bullets in a separate, secure location
• Use playgrounds that have shock-absorbing material such as hardwood mulch or sand
• Wear a helmet when
  • Riding a bike, scooter, motorcycle, snowmobile or ATV
  • Playing football or hockey
  • Using in-line skates or skateboarding
  • Skiing or snowboarding

When to call your primary care provider

Adults

• Headaches
• Neck pain that doesn't go away
• Trouble remembering or concentrating
• A slowdown in thinking, speaking, acting or reading
• Getting lost or easily confused
• Feeling tired; having no motivation
• Mood changes
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Feeling light-headed, dizzy or nauseous
• Sensitivity to light, sounds or distractions
• Blurry vision; eyes that tire easily
• Losing your sense of smell or taste
• Ringing in your ears

Children

• Feeling tired or listless
• Being irritable or cranky
• Crying that can't be controlled
• Not eating or nursing
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Changes in the way your child is playing
• Changes in your child's performance at school
• No interest in favorite toys or activities
• Loss of new skills such as toilet training
• Loss of balance; having trouble walking
• Vomiting

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