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Post-traumatic headaches usually occur immediately after the injury (blow) and are an expression of concussion and disturbances in blood circulation in and around the brain. Most often it is defined as a dull, squeezing or stretching pain. Keep in mind that even a minor head injury can be dangerous.
Post-traumatic headache
Post-traumatic headache is often a consequence of concussion or slight brain damage that may cause brain dysfunction. Another dangerous consequence of head injuries is epidural and subdural hematoma. Probably each of us has had some head trauma in our lives, be it in childhood or in adulthood. Indications for urgent consultation with a doctor are headaches accompanied by dizziness, nausea, vomiting and visual disturbances.
Post-traumatic headache and its types
When talking about post-traumatic headaches, they are divided into:
- chronic post-traumatic headache – in the course of which, in addition to headache, there are sleep disorders, dizziness, faster fatigue, lack of mood, problems with memory and concentration;
- acute post-traumatic headache – it is pain that occurs immediately after the injury (e.g. concussion) and is accompanied by symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.
Concussion is characterized by loss of consciousness immediately after a head injury. After regaining consciousness, patients also complain of nausea and loss of memory of events that took place immediately before and after the injury. Concussion causes deep metabolic abnormalities, during which the brain is more sensitive to re-injury and permanent damage. Concussion of the brain in each case is an indication for hospitalization and observation. During the stay with the patient, computed tomography is performed. It has been proven that imaging tests, in the form of spectroscopy and magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging, are effective methods of diagnosing abnormalities both in the acute period and a few weeks after symptoms have subsided.
Another common head injury is contusion of the brain, which is diagnosed based on a CT scan of the head. It reveals haemorrhages scattered throughout the brain and minor extravasations.
Treatment of post-traumatic headaches
In the course of chronic post-traumatic headaches, the patient is recommended to use analgesics, e.g. paracetamol or antidepressants. Sometimes a decision is made to refer the patient to psychotherapy. A head injury can lead to an immediately life-threatening condition, usually intracranial bleeding. It is characterized by a sudden and very severe headache, accompanied by disturbed consciousness, stiff neck, nausea and vomiting. Among the neurological symptoms, the most common symptoms are visual and sensory disturbances, as well as paresis and dilatation of the pupil in one eye. Such a condition is an immediate indication for consultation with a doctor.
It is worth remembering that even a small and inconspicuous head injury can have serious consequences. Therefore, you should not ignore any symptoms.
In treating post-traumatic headaches, it is important to prevent the pressure from increasing in the brain.
Complications
Severe head injuries favor formation epidural hematomaespecially when the trauma has ruptured the meningeal artery. This trauma causes the patient to lose consciousness, after which he regains it for several dozen minutes or several hours to lose it again. This state is called the clarity of consciousness. With the development of the hematoma, there is paresis of the half of the body and vomiting. In addition, the pupil on the side of the hematoma may widen.
Such a patient should be helped as soon as possible so that he does not develop a cerebral coma. There are cases where it is enough to prevent the build-up of intracranial pressure, but most patients require surgery.
Another complication of head injuries is subdural hematoma occurring in very dangerous head injuries, mainly in fractures of the skull bones. The cause of a subdural hematoma is broken veins in the brain. The symptoms of a hematoma are very diverse and depend on its location. These can include speech and gait disturbances, paresis or epilepsy. As in the case of epidural hematoma, treatment mainly involves surgery.