What happens if the skull breaks

The diagnosis of a head injury is made with a physical examination and diagnostic tests. During the examination, the doctor obtains a complete medical history of the patient and family and asks how the injury occurred. Trauma to the head can cause neurological problems and may require further medical follow up. A diagnostic test that uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organs onto film.

A diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of X-rays and computer technology to produce horizontal, or axial, images often called slices of the body.

A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. CT scans are more detailed than general X-rays. Electroencephalogram EEG.

A procedure that records the brain's continuous, electrical activity by means of electrodes attached to the scalp. Magnetic resonance imaging MRI. A diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of large magnets, radiofrequencies, and a computer to produce detailed images of organs and structures within the body. Moderate sedation or assistance with breathing that would require being placed on a breathing machine, or mechanical ventilator or respirator.

Treatment is individualized, depending on the extent of the condition and the presence of other injuries. If the patient has a severe head injury, he or she may require monitoring for increased intracranial pressure pressure inside the skull. Head injury may cause the brain to swell. Since the brain is covered by the skull, there is only a small amount of room for it to swell.

This causes pressure inside the skull to increase, which can lead to brain damage. Intracranial pressure is measured in two ways. One way is to place a small hollow tube catheter into the fluid-filled space in the brain ventricle.

Other times, a small, hollow device bolt is placed through the skull into the space just between the skull and the brain. Both devices are inserted by the doctor either in the intensive care unit ICU or in the operating room. The ICP device is then attached to a monitor that gives a constant reading of the pressure inside the skull.

If the pressure goes up, it can be treated right away. While the ICP device is in place the patient will be given medication to stay comfortable. When the swelling has gone down and there is little chance of more swelling, the device will be removed. The key is to promote a safe environment for children and adults and to prevent head injuries from occurring in the first place. The use of seat belts when riding in the car and helmets when worn properly for activities, such as bicycle riding, in-line skating, and skateboarding may protect the head from sustaining severe injuries.

Persons who suffer a severe brain injury may lose muscle strength, fine motor skills, speech, vision, hearing, or taste function, depending on the brain region involved and the severity of brain damage. Long- or short-term changes in personality or behavior may also occur. These persons require long-term medical and rehabilitative physical, occupational, or speech therapy management. The extent of the person's recovery depends on the type of brain injury and other medical problems that may be present.

It is important to focus on maximizing the person's capabilities at home and in the community. Health Home Conditions and Diseases. What are the different types of head injury? The following are some of the different types of head injuries: Concussion. There are four major types of skull fractures, including the following: Linear skull fractures.

The different types of ICH include the following: Epidural hematoma. What causes a head injury? What causes bruising and internal damage to the brain? What are the symptoms of a head injury? Fracture: A crack or break in the skull, with or without a laceration to the skin. Symptoms of a skull fracture include: tenderness swelling skull deformity bruising around the eyes or behind the ear clear fluid leaking from the nose or ear.

Bleeding: Bleeding in the brain, also called a hemorrhage , is a potentially life-threatening condition and in many cases may require urgent attention by a neurosurgeon.

A brain hemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, causing bleeding into surrounding tissue, swelling and increased intracranial pressure. Blood may also collect and form a clot, called a hematoma. In an epidural hematoma , the clotting occurs between the inside of the skull and the outer, strong membranous covering of the brain called the dura mater.

Blood that collects beneath the dura mater is called a subdural hematoma. Symptoms of bleeding in the brain, which may gradually worsen or suddenly appear, include: sudden severe headache seizures nausea or repeated vomiting lethargy weakness in an arm or leg loss of consciousness.

Shear injury also called diffuse axonal injury : This type of injury results when the brain bounces violently against the inside of the skull. Nerve fibers that extend from central body of a nerve cell are stretched or torn, permanently damaging the brain cells and causing other complications within the nervous system.

The main symptom of a shear injury is a prolonged loss of consciousness. In infants and toddlers who cannot communicate, signs of a head injury include:.

To assess the severity of a head injury, a physician may perform a physical and neurologic exam and imaging tests such as: CT scan of the head : Computed tomography CT scanning combines special x-ray equipment with sophisticated computers to produce multiple images or pictures of the head and brain. Physicians use CT of the head to detect bleeding, swelling, brain injury and skull fractures.

See the Safety page for more information about CT. MRI of the head : Magnetic resonance imaging MRI uses a powerful magnetic field, radio frequency pulses and a computer to produce detailed pictures of organs, soft tissues, bone and virtually all other internal body structures.

In select patients, physicians use MRI of the brain, including special MR scanning techniques called diffusion-weighted imaging, diffusion tensor imaging and MR spectroscopy , to help diagnose brain injuries that not have readily apparent abnormalities on a more routine MR scan. X-ray of the head : An x-ray involves exposing a part of the body to a small dose of ionizing radiation to produce pictures of the inside of the body.

Physicians occasionally use an x-ray of the head to detect and assess skull fractures. However, such an exam is rarely performed today, as it is not able to assess the brain at all and the CT scan can show most fractures of the skull more clearly than a head x-ray. Moreover, it is clearly understood by physicians that it is more important to determine if there is an underlying brain injury to determine the proper treatment of the patient.

Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: William H. Blahd Jr. Gabica MD - Family Medicine. Care instructions adapted under license by your healthcare professional. If you have questions about a medical condition or this instruction, always ask your healthcare professional. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.

It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Important Phone Numbers. What is post-concussion syndrome? When should you call for help? Where can you learn more? Top of the page. Your Care Instructions A skull fracture is a break in one of the bones of your head. How can you care for yourself at home?

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