One of the scariest thing to see happen or get is a concussion. A concussion is a brain injury normally occurred from a blow to the head. The concussive blast from an explosion can also cause a concussion.
A few years ago I had a bad concussion. I was working for an armored car company and a friend drove a forklift by just as I opened the armor plated door and started to go through headfirst. The forklift struck the door and pushed it into my head. It didn’t really hurt all that much at the time, but I quickly got worst.
As I tried to finish up work, I started to get dizzy, lost my fine motor skills (I couldn’t even sign my own name), had balance issues, and started slurring my speech. I got through the last 15 minutes of my shift and told my boss I had to go to the hospital. He was less then thrilled. I also had to tell him about another problem, I couldn’t drive. I felt drunk.
The clinic sent me to the hospital to get an MRI and then sent me home saying they will call if they find anything. My wife was there by then and stood up for me. By that time I was out of it. I just couldn’t think normally. I healed and was fine in a couple days.
After a blow to the head you should always check someone for a concussion. Some will require immediate medical attention, and some will require nothing. It’s better to error on the safe side. If you aren’t sure, seek medical attention. I’m not a doc, EMT, or medic, but here is what I’ve learned over the years of living in a combat zone:
The first thing to look for is blood out of the ears or eyes. If there is bleeding from these areas, you should seek immediate medical attention. If there is loss of consciousness for more then a few seconds, you should also seek medical attention. You should also look for deformation in the skull. If there is any question of deformation, seek medical attention. The Mayo Clinic also suggestions you seek medical attention if there is; repeated vomiting, seizers, obvious difficulty with mental function or physical coordination, or symptoms that worsen over time.
Other less immediate symptoms include; headache, feeling pressure in the head, confusion, amnesia surrounding the injury, dizziness, ringing in the ears, nausea, slurred speech, and fatigue. These symptoms might set in later; trouble concentrating, irritability, sensitivity to light or noise, sleep disturbances, and distorted taste and smell.
If someone doesn’t need immediate medical attention there isn’t much to do but keep an eye on them. A little rest will go a long way.
Stay Safe,
Ben