Head Injury First Aid

photo source: youtube.com

Head Injury described as the “silent epidemic”, is any trauma that leads to injury of the scalp, skull or brain.  Traumatic head injuries are a major cause of death, and disability but it might be best to refer to the damage done as traumatic brain injury.

The purpose of the head, including the skull and face, is to protect the brain against injury.  In addition to the bony protection, the brain is covered in tough fibrous layers called meninges and bathed in fluid that may provide a little shock absorption.

When an injury occurs, loss of brain function can occur even without visible damage to the head. Force applied to the head may cause the brain to be directly injured or shaken, bouncing against the inner wall of the skull. The trauma can potentially cause bleeding in the spaces surrounding the brain, bruise the brain tissue, or damage the nerve connections within the brain.

A head injury can be classified as either closed or penetrating.  In a close head injury, the head sustains a blunt force by striking against an object.  A concussion is a type of closed head injury that involves the brain.. In penetrating head injury, an object usually moving at a high peed, breaks through the skull and enters the brain.

What you can do?

• Use an ice bag to ease the welling of a bump.
• Do not take any medicine without consulting a doctor.
• If the victim is a child, wake him every hour or two to make sure he is responsive.
• If the victim is an adult, wake him every few hours to check breathing and responsiveness. Ask for the person’s name, age, and address to make sure he is not confused.
• Limit activity for 24 hours.
• Call emergency right away if the person has bleeding that won’t stop, confusion, headaches or vomiting or if you are unable to wake the person up.

Prevention tips

• Perform regular safety checks of sports fields, playgrounds and equipment.
• Follow all the warning signs and rules at water parks, swimming pools, and other public places.
• Avoid  participating in sports when you are ill or very tired.
• Be aware of drivers when cycling or skateboarding And obey Traffic Signals
• Never drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol or ride as a passenger with anybody else who is under the influence
• Do not let them Children use sporting equipment or play sports unsuitable for their age. Do not let them use playgrounds with hard surface grounds.
• Wear appropriate clothing for the sport.
• Do not wear any clothing that can interfere with your vision, use blinking lights when driving at nights.
• Do not dive in water less than 12 ft deep. First, check the depth and check for debris in the water before diving.
• Discard and replace sporting equipment or protective gear that is damaged.
• Never slide head-first when stealing a base.
• Make sure younger children at all times, and do not let them use sporting equipment or play sports unsuitable for their age.  Don’t let them use playgrounds with hard surface grounds.

This video shows the first aid of Head Injury, about the symptoms, the causes and the right action.

     





   

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