What Consequences Do Skull Fractures Have?

What Consequences Do Skull Fractures Have?

Suffering from any injury to the skull or head can have a serious impact on the mental, physical and behavioral state of the victim. Depending on the type of damage, these impacts can last for weeks, months, years or even a lifetime.

However, quick treatment can potentially cut down on the long-term consequences that a victim may face. This holds true for skull fractures as well, which can have severe and lasting ramifications if left untreated.

Contact Paramedics Immediately

Merck Manual discusses what to do when handling potential skull fractures. First and foremost, it is important to identify whether or not a victim may have suffered from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or skull fracture. This should help determine how to treat the victim while waiting for medical aid to arrive.

It is also important to contact medical professionals any time an accident of any sort might have resulted in a brain or head injury, even before identifying or verifying that such an injury exists. This cuts down on valuable time which might otherwise end up lost.

Look for Signs of Brain Injury

Next, keep an eye out for neurological signs indicating brain trauma or distress. This can include partial or full paralysis of some or all limbs, migraines that worsen or do not improve with time, and cognitive problems like confusion and memory loss.

A victim may also have bruising around their eyes or behind their ears. This occurs when blood pools in the hollow areas of the skull, creating bruise-like appearances even without physical damage to the outside.

Quick treatment can make the difference between a shorter recovery period and a lifelong ailment. It is always best to err on the side of caution and act quickly.