Head injuries: What should you look for?
Dallas readers may know as much about traumatic brain injuries as people in any city, but just how much is that? Do you know what symptoms to look for, and are you able to recognize when a head injury is severe?
It is important to be able to recognize symptoms of a head or brain injury. The most severe symptoms to watch for are loss of consciousness, seizures, vomiting, abnormal eye movements, being unable to focus the eyes, muscle control loss, or deep cuts in the scalp that are bleeding. These symptoms should be taken seriously and need to be quickly diagnosed by a medical physician. Call 911 and don’t delay!
Milder symptoms include ringing of the ears, memory loss, nausea, instability on one’s feet, confusion and headaches. These symptoms, too, may require attention, and at the very least, a close watch to see if worse symptoms develop.
Brain injuries are common occurrences. Tripping and falling can cause a head injury. Auto accidents often result in traumatic brain injuries, concussions and scalp injuries. Assault is another common cause of a head or brain injury. During an assault, victims are often kicked, hit or beaten in the head with an object.
One cause that is not often visible from looking at a person is violent shaking. It occurs most often in children. The damage occurs because the shaking motion causes the brain to bump against the skull, which can result in bleeding and swelling of the tissue.
Brain injuries are unpredictable and can have long-term and even life-long consequences. For people whose injury is caused by another party, compensation from the responsible party may be the only feasible way to afford the proper medical attention needed. Many people with brain injuries require extensive treatment, nursing or ongoing medical attention. Expenses can be astronomical. They may want to consider civil action against the responsible party to help cover those expenses.
Source: Healthline, “Head Injury: Types, Causes, and Symptoms” Jul. 31, 2014