NewDelhi March 31 : Many people tend to fall every day, but not everyone goes to the doctor. Falls are a common occurrence in people and can sometimes steal your peace of mind leading to head injuries. Moreover, you will be shocked to know that falls can increase your chances of falling again. Thus, it is very important to manage head injuries that take place due to a fall. In this article, Dr. Ajit Baviskar, Head of Emergency Global Hospital, Mumbai would be telling you about the risk factors of falling, and how to tackle head injuries. Head injury can accelerate brain ageing process, affect thinking skills in long term
A fall can be termed as an event when a person comes to rest on the ground /floor/ a lower level.
Did you know? Injuries associated with a fall are mostly non-fatal. But if the fall is severe then the head injuries can be fatal. Falls can be one of the leading causes of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children and older adults. Traumatic brain injury is serious and will require immediate medical attention. Similarly, falls can also lead to accidental death, an unintentional head injury, broken bones, and hip fracture. Beware! Simple fall may lead to life-threatening consequences
Risk factors for falling: Weakness, vitamin D deficiency, inability to walk or balance, use of certain medication like sedatives or antidepressants, having an impaired vision, wearing the wrong shoe, foot pain, tripping due to clutter or even uneven steps, floor, and the surface can make you fall and make you prone to a head injury. Traumatic brain injury can increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease: Tips to avoid head injuries
Here are the symptoms of a head injury: If you have a mild head injury then you may feel sick, puckish, have a bruise or bleeding, and even feel dizzy. A moderate head injury can cause passing out for some time, headache, confusion, memory problem for some time, and vomiting. Serious head injuries can lead to excessive bleeding from the head, a seizure, difficulty in speaking, bruises, blood or fluid coming out from the nose or ears, and even vision problems. A mild head injury can be tackled at home but moderate to severe will require timely intervention or it can also lead to loss of life.
Tips to manage head injuries due to a fall
R for rest: Discontinue the activity you are doing and rest. Don’t do anything that causes pain and soreness in the body.
I for ice: Apply ice or a cold pack on the affected area to get rid of pain, inflammation, and swelling. Avoid applying ice directly on the skin. Place ice cubes in the towel and then place them on the head.
C for compression: Use an elastic bandage to cover the sore area with a bandage to reduce swelling. Do not wrap the bandage too tightly.
E for elevation: Elevate the injured area above the level of your heart to manage swelling and pain.
Tips to avoid head injuries
- Do not forget to wear a helmet while riding a motorbike as even if you fall accidentally, you may be able to keep head injuries at bay.
- Do not keep any things at home that can make you trip.
- Install bars inside the home, toilets, and outside the tub.
- You must put a railing on both the side of the stairs to avoid head injuries.
- Add brighter lights at home to reduce the risk of falls and head injuries.
- Get your eyes checked from time to time and go for regular follow-ups to avoid tripping.
- Exercise to make your legs strong and enhance your balance.
- Lucid interval – post head trauma victims may be stable, but signs of head injury may develop after sometime, this symptom free time is lucid interval. So, people have to be careful and keep a watch in moderate to severe head injury.