Whether you’re a novice or avid skier, you should know all about common head injuries for your safety and the safety of those around you on the slopes.
Head injuries involve lacerations, bumps and bruises to your brain, skull or scalp caused by a form of trauma. There are many different kinds of common head injuries, ranging from mild to severe, depending on their cause and the amount of bleeding involved. Sometimes a head injury can result in a loss of consciousness or a concussion. Here’s what you should know about common head injuries before hitting the slopes:
Open vs. closed head injuries
Head injuries can be considered open or closed, depending on if there has been penetration to your skull. If your skull hasn’t been broken open, it’s considered a closed injury. However, just because your brain tissue wasn’t penetrated doesn’t mean your brain won’t have any bruising or swelling.
Open injuries may lead to bleeding, skull fractures and concussions. Sometimes your injury is neither open or closed, but a scalp wound instead. An injury sustained to the layer of skin that covers and protects your skull, a scalp wound can also cause bleeding or tissue damage.
Symptoms of a head injury
So, how do you know if you’re suffering from a head injury? Symptoms can vary person to person and depending upon the severity and nature of your injury. Here are the symptoms most commonly associated with a head injury:
- Confusion or temporary memory loss
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Ringing in your ears
- An inability to stand, dizziness or a loss of balance
- Double or blurred vision
- Grogginess (feeling sluggish or tired)
- Sensitivity to light or noise
- Small cuts or bumps
Your head injury may be more severe if you have any of these symptoms present:
- Bleeding or swelling
- Concussion
- Loss of consciousness
- Abnormal eye movements or an inability to focus
- Seizures or convulsions
- Vomiting
- Loss of muscle control or inability to move one or more limbs
- Severe headaches
- Drop in blood pressure or breathing rate
- Facial bruising or distorted facial features
- Slurred speech or blurred vision
- Clear or bloody fluids coming out of the mouth, nose or ears
Diagnosing and treating head injuries
If you notice any of the above symptoms present, you should seek medical attention immediately. The head, neck and back of the person involved will need to be secured for transportation to protect in the event of spinal damage. A CT scan, MRI or X-ray will likely be needed to determine the severity of the injury.
If the injury is deemed mild, monitored rest will likely be prescribed. Any changes in the person’s condition may mean a second doctor’s visit is necessary. If the injury is more severe, it may require surgery to stop the bleeding or to reduce the pressure if the brain is swelling. Sometimes a doctor may prescribe medications to stop or prevent blood clotting or seizures.
Usually, the recovery from a common head injury will resolve itself in time. However, a severe injury can result in death or a lifelong disability, mental impairment or changes to a person’s personality or behaviour. Many common head injuries can be prevented on the slopes with extra cautionary measures. Look out for yourself and others!
