MILD HEAD INJURY
PROBLEM
Mild head injury includes any bump, jolt, or blow to the head that affects normal brain function, possibly causing confusion or a loss of consciousness.
GUIDELINES FOR CARE AT HOME
Activity:
A.Have someone stay with you for the next 24 hours to be sure your injury does not worsen.
B.Limit physical activity, especially sports or heavy lifting.
C.Slowly increase your activities. Pace yourself, using rest periods whenever you are mentally or physically tired.
D.Do not drive or operate heavy machinery during the next 24 hours.
E.You must have approval from your primary care provider before returning to work or school.
F.Coaches or trainers must be notified of any head injury.
Diet: Do not eat or drink if you feel sick to your stomach. When you feel better, you can eat or drink anything except alcohol until cleared by your primary care provider.
Medications: You should not take any medications, including those regularly taken, unless approved by your primary care provider.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CAREGIVERS: OBSERVATION AFTER HEAD INJURY
Check the patient every 2 hours for the first 24 hours after discharge. If he or she is asleep, awaken him or her for testing.
HOW TO TEST THE PATIENT
A.Test orientation: Ask the patient to tell you his or her name, where he or she is, the year, and who you are.
B.Test the patient’s strength: Ask the patient to squeeze one or two of your fingers as hard as he or she can, checking both hands at the same time, and compare them. Also have the patient lift one leg at a time off the bed and hold it up for a few seconds.
C.Have the patient open both eyes at the same time and check his or her pupils to make sure they are the same size. (The pupil is the black circular part in the center of the eye.)
D.If you are uncertain about these test results, repeat them every 5 minutes until you are sure of what you see.
EMERGENT ISSUES/INSTRUCTIONS
Call 911 or go to the emergency room if:
A.The patient cannot be easily awakened or sleeps constantly in between tests for no apparent reason.
B.The patient cannot answer orientation questions correctly or appears to be confused.
C.The patient has new or increasing weakness in any arm or leg.
D.The patient becomes very restless, agitated, is acting unusual, or has any other change in behavior.
E.One pupil is larger than the other.
F.You cannot understand what the patient is saying, or the patient has difficulty understanding what you have said.
G.The patient complains of a severe or worsening headache.
H.The patient continues to complain of nausea or begins vomiting.
I.The patient has a fever over 101.4°F.
J.The patient has a convulsion or seizure, or passes out.
K.The patient has fluid leaking from the nose or ear.
You need to return to the office the day after the head injury.
Phone: ____________________________
PATIENT TEACHING GUIDE