The most common type of head injury is a concussion. It is a jarring trauma to the brain that can cause a person to lose consciousness or have amnesia. A concussion can be caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. Most concussed people recover quickly and can be treated at home, while others have symptoms that last for days or weeks and need medical attention.
But the question is: what do you do if you are around someone who experiences a serious head injury or concussion? You may have heard that you should not let the person go to sleep, but is this true?
Most health professionals don’t think so. It has long been thought that a person with a concussion should not sleep because they might slip into a coma or lose consciousness.
But in some cases, it is considered safe for people with head injuries or concussions to go to sleep, basically known as sleep concussion.
In a study in the September-October 2005 issue of the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation , researchers reported greater levels of fatigue in people who have had head injuries, compared with those who have not. The researchers concluded that regular rest breaks and increasing intervals of restful sleep should be a part of the rehabilitation from head injury.
If you are around someone who has a head injury or possible concussion, monitor the symptoms closely and call a doctor or go to a hospital immediately if the person has alarming symptoms such as:
- Open wound in the scalp or misshapen deformity of the skull
- Severe or progressive worsening headache
- Changes in behavior (eg, confusion, restlessness, irritability, lethargy)
- Dilated pupils or pupils of different sizes
- Convulsions or seizures
- Difficulty waking from sleep
- Trouble walking or speaking
- Bleeding or drainage of fluids from nose or ears
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