Advice on severe head pain after getting hit

[vercetti2021]

Yeah I had a bit of an accident at work today that involved getting my head rung pretty bad. I got a head splitting migraine. Like I'm that type who worries constantly and if you got hit in the noggin like pretty hard. Would you go get checked or just go home and take a lot of pain relievers and sleep it off?

[soothsayer]

1. Get it checked out pronto and DO NOT sleep..!

[Claire Oh Nette]

2. Go to ER.

Concussion protocol at minimum. DOesn't take a lot for a brain bruise.

Get thee to urgent care, pronto!

[vercetti2021]

3. Would it be dangerous to drive myself?

Or should I get someone else to drive me?

[Claire Oh Nette]

5. How far?

Depends, I suppose.

How long ago did the bell ringing happen?
If you have someone to take you, let them drive.
If you don't and you're even remotely dizzy, call an ambulance.

No kidding--hitting your head is serious.

[vercetti2021]

7. Lets see

I got hit about 2 hours ago, I got my mother to take me probably. And it's about 4 miles from me. The medical district

[Claire Oh Nette]

8. Have your mom take you.

Save on the ambulance fee..

You wouldn't feel a brain bleed at all.

My mother hit her head at home, went shopping, and five hours later, went into a coma and never woke up.

You should always check when you hit your noggin.

Tell your mom I'd take you, but I'm out of state....

[vercetti2021]

9. Okay I'm gonna go now

Because it hasn't let up at all. Even after 4 Advil

[Claire Oh Nette]

10. Let us know how it goes

I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV and I stayed at Holdiay in Express last night.

I am a frequent flyer in the ER.

Be safe. Try an Ice Pak.

[nykym]

11. tell them you took 4 Advil

[BigmanPigman]

18. I get awful migraines and get Botox shots in my scalp

every three months but for the headaches that I still have I learned how to manage them.

I drink coffee, take 2 aspirin and two Tylenol (Acetaminophen) as soon as one starts. If I don't get it right away it can turn into a 5 day migraine. They also have pills that help (Sumatriptan tartrate...it saves my life).

Ask a doctor for some when you go to the hospital. I can't begin to name all the people who died after a head injury when they either didn't go to a hospital or left the hospital too early, feeling OK to go home.

[Dale in Laurel MD]

4. I'd get it checked

I'd be concerned about subdural bleeding.

[samnsara]

6. yeah have it checked out..too many stories of famous folks dropping dead after a head bump..

..im surprised your work didnt have you get checked out. Dont sign any waivers!

[elias7]

12. Current thinking on imaging post head trauma

In the ED, we go by clinical judgment, but the Canadian CT head injury/trauma rule may help guide.

If you are able to read this and write what you wrote at two hours, your GCS (Glasgow coma scale) is 15 - able to speak, open eyes spontaneously and perform volitional motor acts, i.e. normal
If you don’t have a palpable or depressed skull fracture or have two black eyes or salty fluid running down your throat or out your nose (basilar skull fracture)
If you have not vomited 2 or more times
If you are less than 65 years old
If you didn’t get knocked unconscious, have a seizure upon impact, or have amnesia for accident
If you didn’t fall from a height, get struck by a car, or have a dangerous mechanism

Then, do not need a CT scan and you are very unlikely to have a significant closed head injury
If any positives, go to the ED

If you are older, there could be concern for sub-dural hematoma (blood beneath the innermost brain covering and the brain)
If you got struck hard in the temple, you are at risk for epidural hematoma (arterial bleed that is really bad, but if it has been over two hours and you’re not comatose by now, this is unlikely.
A brain bruise, or cerebral contusion, happens with dangerous mechanisms, and if identified, buys you a bed overnight in a hospital where neurosurgery is available. The first two may actually require emergent intervention.

I would say that headache is very common, as is dizziness, nausea, spaciness, trouble concentrating, but the fact that you wrote this and are asking makes significant head trauma unlikely (unless you’re currently intoxicated).

There’s no problem going to sleep, but if you’re really worried, another person around overnight is always a safe thing. If you’re really really worried, follow your intuition and get checked out.

Tylenol extra strength (or 3 reg strength) is safest, since Aleve or ibuprofen can inhibit platelets and though not cause bleeding, can make active bleeding worse.

[Sanity Claws]

13. Get it checked immediately

particularly if you want workers comp to cover it. Must report it to work too.

[jpak]

14. Take 2 cats and see me in the AM

[Deb]

15. Call an ambulance NOW

Don’t take any medication for the headache. Please just go.

[applegrove]

16. Get it checked out.

[Ferrets are Cool]

17. Not asking the author, but just in general

If this happened at work, why the HELL aren't they taking care of this. This is HHR material for sure. Of course, we don't know details, but they should have taken him to the ER immediately.