Head injury

The hard skull and facial bones protect the brain, which is a soft organ. If these bones are injured then the brain becomes more vulnerable. When someone has a knock to the head, the brain moves about and can hit the skull and facial bones. This type of injury may cause the brain to swell and even bleed.

The most common type of head injury is concussion. Concussion may or may not be associated with loss of consciousness (blackout). The loss of consciousness is often brief and is normally followed by a rapid and complete recovery. Always seek medical attention for a head injury. It can take some time for the brain to recover from a head injury and, during this time, headaches, dizziness and mild cognitive (thought) problems are common.

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