When a person experiences a head injury, it involves intricate mechanical stresses that affect not only the skull and scalp but also the brain and cranial nerves.
How Doctors Assess Brain Injury Risks?
Upon suffering a head injury, a medical examination is essential to evaluate potential brain damage. Should no symptoms be detected, the doctor may recommend rest at home. However, if there are any indicators of brain damage, immediate hospital admission is necessary for thorough observation and treatment.
What Should Be Monitored in the Next 24-48 Hours?
If advised to rest at home, it's crucial that the patient be woken up every two hours, including during the night, to check for:
- Confusion: Like not knowing their whereabouts or incoherent speech.
- Overwhelming sleepiness or an inability to wake up.
- Extreme fatigue, numbness, or immobility of a body part.
In addition, the following symptoms require immediate attention:
- Frequent nausea or vomiting
- Intense dizziness
- Acute headaches or excessive agitation
- Muscle spasms or seizures
- Challenges in moving or walking
- Altered breathing patterns, such as hyperventilation or difficulty in breathing
Even if the first medical check-up reveals no evident signs of brain damage, symptoms might manifest later. Hence, close monitoring, particularly within the first 48 hours post-injury, is indispensable. If any of the symptoms listed above appear, hospitalisation is urgently needed.
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