Traumatic brain injury

Overview

A severe external force or blow to the head can cause an immediate disturbance of consciousness. It is a potentially life-threatening situation and requires urgent medical treatment. Concussion is the least severe form of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Wearing a protective helmet when exposed to potential risk is recommended as a preventive measure.

Symptoms

Main symptoms

• Headache
• Immediate disturbance of onsciousness (main symptom) of differing degrees of severity
  • From slight disorientation to coma (deep unconsciousness accompanied by the loss of all reaction)
  • From a few minutes (concussion) to many days (cerebral compression)
  • Memory loss (amnesia) about the accident

Other symptoms

• Different pupil size in each eye
• Loss of nerve function: paralysis and sensory disturbances
• Bleeding from the nose, mouth, ears
• Leakage of clear or bright red cerebrospinal fluid from the nose or ears
• Disturbances of involuntary body functions (vegetative functions):
  • Vomiting (immediate or delayed)
  • Fluctuations in blood pressure
  • Heart arrhythmia, breathing problems
  • Gross metabolic disorder
    

Causes and treatment

Causes

• External head trauma (e.g. heavy collision or impact)
  • Mechanical injury to the scalp, skullcap and brain (differing degrees of severity)
  • Bleeding (e.g. injured blood vessels in the head)
  • Increased intracranial pressure

Further treatment by your doctor / in hospital

Possible tests

• Examination of face and skull
• Neurological assessment
• Medical imaging (in particular CT scan)

Possible therapies

• Observation (moderate to severe injuries in intensive care ward)
• Reduction of intracranial pressure (medication, physical/surgical)
• (Surgical) treatment of injuries (head, bones, etc.)
• Neurological rehabilitation for serious injuries
  

What can I do myself?

• Accident prevention
  • Circumspect conduct, self-assessment
• Wear protective helmet when exposed to potential risk
  • Provide first aid!
  • Unconscious but still breathing: Lie patient in recovery position (stable side position)
  • Immediately start first aid (cardiac massage/reanimation) if patient is unconscious and doesn't appear to be breathing

When to see a doctor?

Blunt force as well as penetrating head injuries require medical treatment.

Further information

Information about numerous regional associations throughout Switzerland for patients with brain injuries is provided by

FRAGILE Suisse:
www.fragile.ch

Synonyms

craniocerebral injury, craniocerebral trauma, cct, traumatic brain injury, brain compression, brain contusion, cerebral contusion, cerebral compression