head injury instruction - patient advice

Last reviewed 05/2023

Clear advice should be given to any patient sent home after head injury (and to the adult who is to keep an eye on the situation) to call the GP or for the patient to be taken to the A/E dept if any of the following develop:

Patient Advice:

A doctor or nurse practitioner has examined you and considers you fit to go home. However, for the first 24 hours at home you should have a responsible adult with you who has read this information sheet. Most head injuries do not lead to serious complications. However, if you experience any of the following symptoms, you should go immediately to the nearest hospital which has an emergency department.

• severe or increasing headache
  
  
• vomiting
  
  
• confusion or drowsiness
  
  
• fits (collapsing or passing out suddenly)
  
  
• any visual disturbance
  
  
• dizziness or lack of co-ordination
  
  
• weakness in one or both arms or legs
  
  
• clear fluid or blood coming out of your ears or nose
  
  
• new deafness in one or both ears
  
  
• unusual irritability in babies or infants

What you should not worry about It is normal after a head injury to experience the following symptoms over the next few days. These symptoms should disappear over the following two weeks.

• Mild headache. It is safe to take a painkiller such as paracetamol. (Please see the instructions on the packet for advice about how much to take and how often.)
• Feeling sick (without vomiting) or decreased appetite. Avoid alcohol and drink clear fluids whilst symptoms persist.
• Difficulty concentrating
• Increased tiredness which might make you irritable or anxious

However if you are concerned about any of these symptoms then you should see your doctor.

General Advice

If you follow this advice you should get better more quickly and it may relieve some of your symptoms.

• Rest for at least three days
• Try to avoid stressful situations as these can make any symptoms worse.
• Do not return to your normal school, college or work activity until you feel you have completely recovered.
• You should not drive a motor vehicle or operate machinery for at least 24 hours after your accident.
• Do not work on a computer or play computer games until you have completely recovered.
• Alcohol tolerance is reduced after a head injury so you should not drink alcohol until you are completely recovered
• Do not play any contact sports (for example rugby or football) for at least 3 weeks without talking to your doctor first.

Long-term problems

Most patients recover quickly from their accident and experience no long-term problems. However, if you:

• are still experiencing problems two weeks after your accident
• are concerned as to whether you are fit to drive a car or motorbike
• develop new problems after a few weeks or months please contact your doctor as soon as possible so that they can make sure you are recovering properly

Reference:

• Head injury advice for patients. Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust (Accessed 29/3/2014).