Head Injury and its Diagnosis
A head injury happens as a result of trauma to the scalp, skull or brain. Head injuries are classified as closed, in which there is no cut or laceration of the skin, or penetrating, in which the surface and bone of the skull are broken. Traumatic brain injuries range from mild (called mild traumatic brain injuries) to severe.
Your doctor can perform a physical and neurological examination along with a head CT scan, a head MRI, or a head x-ray to assess the nature and severity of your injury and determine the appropriate treatment. While patients with minor head injuries can be observed and treated with medication, more serious traumatic brain injuries may require urgent attention to remove blood clots or to release pressure in the brain.
How head injuries are evaluated
The therapy of head injuries depends on the type of injury and the condition of the patient. To assess the seriousness of head trauma, a doctor could perform a physical and neurological examination and imaging experiments such as:
CT scan of the head: Computed tomography scan combines special X-ray equipment with advanced computers to produce multiple representations or pictures of the head and brain. Doctors use the head CT scan to detect bleeding, swelling, brain injury, and skull fractures.
Head MRI: Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) uses a powerful magnetic field, radiofrequency pulses, and a computer to produce detailed photographs of organs, soft tissues, bones, and virtually all other structures inside the body. In certain patients, the doctor uses brain MRI, including special MRI scanning techniques called diffusion imaging, diffusion tensor, and NMR spectroscopy, to help diagnose brain lesions that do not have apparent abnormalities on an MRI scan.
X-rays of the head: They involve exposing a part of the body to a small dose of ionizing radiation to display pictures of the inside of the body. Doctors occasionally use X-rays of the head to detect and evaluate fractures of the skull. However, this type of examination is currently performed rarely, as it cannot assess the brain, and CT scanning can show most fractures of the skull more clearly than X-rays of the head.
However, it is clear to physicians that it is more important to determine if there is an underlying brain injury to assess the patient's appropriate treatment. For this purpose, the CT scan, and if NMR is necessary, are the preferred techniques for taking the images.
How is head injury treated?
Consider seeking urgent medical attention with any form of head injury, since the consequences of unrecognized or improperly treated head injuries can be potentially dangerous.
Patients with minor head injuries will be recognized and will receive treatment for symptoms, including pain medications to treat a headache and drugs to control nausea and vomiting. If you have signs of a dull concussion, you should avoid excessive activity. Your doctor will advise you when to return to your regular daily routine and sports activities.
More severe and traumatic brain injuries will require individualized and often emergency care, such as surgery to remove blood clots and relieve pressure in the brain.
