Head Injury

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Definition

A head injury is any trauma that leads to injury of the scalp, skull, or brain. The injuries can range from a minor bump on the skull to serious brain injury.

Head injury is classified as either closed or open (penetrating).

  • - A closed head injury means you received a hard blow to the head from striking an object, but the object did not break the skull.
  • - An open, or penetrating, head injury means you were hit with an object that broke the skull and entered the brain. This usually happens when you move at high speed, such as going through the windshield during a car accident. It can also happen from a gunshot to the head.

There are several types of brain injuries, including :

- Concussion, the most common type of traumatic brain injury, in which the brain is shaken.

- Contusion, which is a bruise on the brain.