How to treat a head injury?

Craniocerebral injury, to which the bruise of the head relates, is one of the frequent reasons for the treatment of young people in the emergency room. About half of them need neurosurgical care. Timely actions in case of trauma will help to avoid serious consequences. What to do with a head injury?

What happens to the brain in case of trauma?

The changes that have occurred to the brain as a result of trauma are divided into primary and secondary. The primary ones are caused by the traumatic agent, and the secondary ones are caused by a disturbance in the nutrition of the tissue and the damaging effect of intracranial hypertension, brain edema, and blood.

With a bruise on the skull, the pressure of a solid blunt object acts locally. As a result, the brain is damaged both in the place of impact and on the opposite side, as it "sails" to the opposite wall of the skull and beats against it. After injury, the vessels of the head reflex spasmodically, ischemia and swelling of the tissue. When rupture of blood vessels hemorrhages form on the surface of the hemispheres.

The lack of oxygen leads to the fact that energy processes begin to go anaerobically. As a consequence, acidic exchange products accumulate, which has a damaging effect.

The edema develops, because of what the intracranial pressure grows. The brain is squeezed in addition, because of what hypoxia is aggravated. A severe head injury can be accompanied by fractures of the skull bones and its base, which significantly aggravates the clinical picture, intensifies the edema, creates the danger of infection of the brain tissue.

Symptoms of head injury

With a mild head injury, a brief( about ten minutes) loss of consciousness with an amnesia of events before the injury. After restoration of consciousness, pain in the area, dizziness, nausea, repeated vomiting. Pupils turn when they turn their eyes, before they take a stable position( nystagmus).There is a temporary deterioration in memory and concentration of attention. All the symptoms pass in a couple of weeks.

With a moderate injury, loss of consciousness can last up to several hours. Within two days after the injury, the patient may be in a state of stunning, that is, with difficulty to be aware of what is happening and to respond slowly to questions asked. Disturbs a strong headache, tension of the neck muscles, because of which it is impossible to reach the chin to the chest.

Nystagmus appears, the pupils are different in size, eye movement can occur. Sometimes the motor and sensitive function of the half of the body is disturbed, the vagueness of speech. Events before and after the injury fall out of memory( retrograde amnesia).

Severe degree is manifested by a prolonged loss of consciousness, coma. Violated swallowing, speech function. Synchronous eye movements are difficult, pupils of different sizes. Normal reflexes are depressed, pathological ones appear( stop Babinsky, proboscis, grasping, and others).The functions of breathing and maintaining blood pressure are violated.

How is a head injury bruised?

It is quite a serious injury, so you need to see a doctor. First aid for a head injury:

1. Place an ice pack on the injury site.
2. Man in an unconscious state put on a flat hard surface without a pillow. When vomiting, turn your head to the side, preventing inhalation of vomit.
3. If there is no consciousness, call an ambulance team.
4. With clear consciousness, go to the emergency room, where they will assess the severity of the condition and give recommendations on further actions.

Fact! What to do with a strong head injury? It is compulsory to call a doctor and go to the neurosurgical department, as there is a disruption of the vital functions: breathing and circulation.

In a hospital environment, patients are treated with a bed rest period of at least three days. Active movements are limited to two weeks. Within two weeks try to use less liquid to reduce the degree of edema.

In case of a head injury, the following medicines are used:

1. Pain analgesics: Analgin, Ketorolac, Tramal. The choice of a particular drug depends on the severity of the symptom.
2. If the instability of the autonomic nervous system develops( fluctuations in blood pressure, a slight increase in temperature, marbling of the skin, etc.): Propranolol.
3. When insomnia is prescribed sleeping pills: Relaxone, Phenazepam.
4. To improve brain function and prevent the effects of trauma, nootropics are used: Piracetam, Pikamilon, Pantogam, Cerebrolysin, Cerepro.
5. When developing edema, use diuretics( Furosemide).
6. Seizure attack is removed by intravenous administration of Sibazone, then antiepileptic drugs are prescribed: carbamazepine, lamotrigine, valproic acid.

Treatment of severe head injury requires resuscitation with continuous monitoring of respiratory and circulatory conditions.

Forecast

Consequences of the contusion of the head depend on the severity and speed of the treatment. With a favorable course, there are no long-term consequences, the received violations are either restored or compensated.

In severe cases, disturbed disturbances of movement and sensitivity, difficulty in speaking may disturb. To correct these problems, a massage, a set of exercise exercises, physiotherapy, and a speech therapist are prescribed.

Disturbing memory loss, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, headaches when weather changes. To stop these symptoms with a brain injury, drugs are taken that improve the transmission of nerve impulses, blood supply: Piracetam, Fenotropil, Vinpocetine, Cytoflavin and others.

Symptomatic head injury is serious enough, up to the violation of breathing and heartbeat. Therefore, timely access to specialists, adequate and timely treatment, the implementation of all recommendations will help to avoid the consequences of injury.