I hit my head on a wall.

Question: I hit my head on a wall. I am feeling pressing sensations in my left temple. Just recently I feel much smaller sensations in my right temple. Not painful just pressing. What is going on?

Answer: A blow such as the one you have received may have no consequences whatsoever. Using pain relief medication such as Acetaminophen (Tylenol) may help with the pain. Please avoid using ibuprofen (advil) for such an injury. You will need to consult if you have subsequent symptoms. Immediate medical attention is required if you experience symptoms such as bruising behind the ears or around the eyes (raccoon eyes). These can potentially indicate a severe or life-threatening injury. If you experience these symptoms, a CT scan will be required to further evaluate the situation. Sometimes a blow to the head may produce a concussion. These are difficult to diagnose. And the consequences vary. Most concussions or mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI) symptoms will go away without treatment. So please continue to monitor your situation and should symptoms worsen please consult for more investigation.

Additional Information:

Head injury can be 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 is more likely to happen 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.

Head injuries include:

• Concussion, in which the brain is shaken, is the most common type of traumatic brain injury.
• Scalp wounds.
• Skull fractures.

Head injuries may cause bleeding:

• In the brain tissue
• In the layers that surround the brain