When Can We Stop Worrying After a Hit on the Head?

Ask the Expert: When Can We Stop Worrying After a Hit on the Head?
Question: 

About a month ago, my wife tripped while hiking and hit her head. We went to our Emergency Department and they did a CT scan, which was “clean.” Other than an occasional headache, my wife feels fine. Is there a time when we can stop worrying?

Answer: 

The CT scan that was done in the Emergency Department is helpful because it showed there was no bleed in your wife’s head (hemorrhage) that would require surgery. That being said, most of the time after a concussion — or mild brain injury — a CT scan does not show any evidence of injury and yet some people may continue to have symptoms related to the concussion. The injury to the brain in a concussion is generally to the neurons and axons that are microscopic and therefore not seen on CT scan. Symptoms can be broken down into four categories:

Many symptoms from mild traumatic brain injuries resolve themselves with some time and rest and it seems this is the case with your wife. However, if her headaches do not continue to improve, if they are limiting your her function, or if they worsen, it would be appropriate to take her for a re-evaluation by your physician.

 

Posted on BrainLine January 19, 2010. Reviewed February 1, 2023.

Comments (311)

Please remember, we are not able to give medical or legal advice. If you have medical concerns, please consult your doctor. All posted comments are the views and opinions of the poster only.

I got a ceramic tray slammed on the back of my head about 1.5 years back. I lost vision and couldn’t hear anything but ringing for about 30 seconds to a minute, I didn’t realize what was going on until about 5 minutes later. I was never checked out. Should I have this checked out now?

I slipped on wet marble on holiday 2 months ago and banged the back of my head, I was fine after it but a few days later the sides of my neck was sore (just like whiplash) but I have been getting headaches since just before we flew home, should I seek medical advice?

In 2018 i got hit with something in the head when got it to a fight and when I got hit in the head it was bleeding it made a line scar I didn’t go to no doctor or anything I thought everything was ok then few months after I started losing my hair in that area where my head got hit at but I still was like it’s okay I have had bad headaches ever since and now in 2023 I see the same scar but it’s swollen now & red I didn’t know if I need to go to the doctor I don’t understand after all them years why it’s swollen

Yesterday, my two year old son and I hit each other hard on the back of the head. The bruise on the back of my son's head was raised and my head was aching so much at first and then just small aching from time to time. what to do about my baby's and my head

I hit my head on a slide and that next morning my left eye lid is swelling. I have really bad headaches and feel sick.. and I just feel like something is off … idk if I should go it’s been 3 days now.

I slipped on the snow today, and hit my head on the pavement. I didn’t lose consciousness, and got myself to work just fine, after changing clothes. I got checked out immediately and had nothing come up other than my blood pressure being high, but all day I’ve been fine, small headache which I took some painkillers for and it went away. I have a sore spot on my head, but no blurry vision, no nausea, no fog…but now that I’m home, some of my friends think I should go, which has now sent me into anxiety attack. I still don’t have any pain other than the sore spot, but I’m feeling terrified and anxious. Should I go?

When in doubt, get checked out!

I had a bad bang to my head back in November 22. I was unconscious for about 15 minutes. I received concussion which caused memory loss and sickness . It's now February 23, and I retch at anything now. Sometimes if I take a deep breath I gag. This isn't normal. Any advice please

I would consider going to a chiropractor, especially one who does orthogonal atlas adjustments. Your skull might be out of alignment.

So last January 2022 I hit my head on the door from my veritgo I had a MRI a couple weeks later as I had a headache lingering from my veritgo anyways the scan came up I had a insult from birth or young age in the white matter so it wasn't from hitting my head but I still have this bump on my head a year later and it gets a little tender and weighty or should I say heavy some days can you give me any advice on it please as I'm not sure what it would be causing it thankyou...

Just want to ask if a slight head fracture will heal and wont harm our brain?

I hit my head on the corner of my sofa by mistake, i plopped down and hit my head. I don’t know if I should be worried cause Im an over thinker, i am also withdrawing from Marijuana and I am unsure if that might be cause of my dizziness. I have a headache on the area where I hit my head though

I hit my head on the corner of my sofa by mistake, i plopped down and hit my head. I don’t know if I should be worried cause Im an over thinker, i am also withdrawing from Marijuana and I am unsure if that might be cause of my dizziness. I have a headache on the area where I hit my head though

Female-I was hit on my head with a heavy tea cup, was more in the middle on top. Third day now but my head is still sore and worst when I wake up in the mornings.

I was away on holiday 5 weeks ago I bent to pick something up and banged the top of my head of the corner of an open window it came out in a bump the lump went down after a few days but since then I have horrible tension in the back of my head Iand every now and then I get blue vision I've seen 3 different doctors and they a said its tension headaches no painkillers are taking the pain away

I was getting something in my refrigerator and went to stand up and hit the top back of my hear on the freezer handle.

I was putting groceries away, I guess I didn’t close the freezer right. Frozen hard chicken, fell right on to my head. Months later when I touch it still hurts

Hello I was bringing groceries in my door I had lay the grocery down i had one foot in one foot out And i hit the side my head had glasses on And side of my ear On door knob i feel ok should i go to the ER Thank you

I am on a walker and I fell and hither back of my head, I called 911 and they picked me up and they took me to the hospital. They did a CT Scan and said there was no bleeding and sent me home. I applied ice for 3 days. The bump on my head is still very sore. Can I now apply heat?

i was running because its raining and then i step on plastic and slip. it hit my head

I hit my head yesterday night by the wall and couldn't hear for a while the next day when I touch it or not it hurts, any advice?

I was in bathroom bathing my feet is sleeped and i fall on head i feel little dizzy and headache what to do

Had a fall 6 weeks ago and i still get verry bad pain in my head and eye

She had an accident and hit her back head on the floor, since then. She has been feeling pains. What can I do ?

I just hit the top of my head on some concrete on my terrace, i was just trying to stand up since i was cleaning the floor, then the top my head hits the concrete. I feel a bit tired and i sill have a bit of a headache. Am i ok?

I slipped and fell in the shower and hit my head. The bump is getting bigger and it burns

I fell on marble floor and hit the back of my head 3 weeks ago it was very bruised. And is still sore now with some headaches

A cut on my head for two months and it heal on it own

A cut on my head for two months and it heal on it own

Last night about 9:00 pm, my fiancé and I were out on a short motorcycle ride and we hit a Doe (deer) at about 35 miles per hour and of course she stood strong we crashed. I didn’t see it coming it seemed instantaneous and had no preparation time for the impact. Being the passenger my fiancé took most of the weight of force from my body but I did hit the right side of my head very close to the forehead but not?? We have ridiculously painful road rash but my head it didn’t bleed and yes a goose egg formed, I lost no consciousness but obviously very confused I’m hoping due to the trauma of the accident and as the police officer arrived at the scene it seemed superficial painful but not serious enough that any EMT was called. We put the Harley back in shape to drive it home and a fear overwhelmed me like no other. When we got home we could finally process the damage to ourselves and after removing several ticks from each other I still worried a little about my head. I iced it a couple times before finally going to bed about 3 am. When I woke up about 9 am and looked in the mirror for the most part the goose egg was diminishing but looked like the swelling what little remained had started to move farther down my face closer to the ear line and the initial hit area has a eraser tip sized knot. Like a medium size pebble under the skin but no abrasion occurred so that obviously is impossible but that 1 spot is painful to touch and achy but tolerable if left alone. I have had no vomiting, been able to eat and functioning fine but a little like a foggy feeling. Is this normal or is it something that should be looked at by a medical professional? In the beginning of this “speech”, I stated a short ride and why I said that was because we didn’t think a need for helmets were necessary. I know better to not wear one and I feel blessed that we were able to walk away from that potentially fatal incident so I just wanted to state please please, bikers of all kinds no matter how far you are traveling or how annoying the helmet seems, take the time to wear it. Most accidents happen within 10 miles from home. I’ve said that time and time again and instead of standing on my soapbox I should take my own advice.
I guess I just need to know when the worry can stop or if I need to just get to the ER and get well. Thank you for your time,

I was closing a car door and it hit my head,there's no bruises but it's hurting

6 or 7 years ago my ex n I were fighting, he throws a wooden tray at me n hits me n the head, it bleed for hours, and I know it's a vein cause I can feel it, but when I touch its still numb to this day, and I started having headaches the last few months. I was at work n felt like I was going to vomit, got a terrible headache. But when I touch that area we're I was hit seems like it dulls the pain. I had to lay down for a while to feel better. I was telling a co worker what happ and she said it sounded like a concussion. Should I b worried?

I hit my head about 6 weeks ago. After getting to drink. My head swelled like I had never seen anything like it. After 6 weeks it’s still sooo sensitive to touch Evan slightly. I had no scan and was sent home. Any advice please x

I had a pretty bad head injury about a month ago and it’s also very sore still, I would say that if it doesn’t go away in a few months, see a doctor. If you don’t have any other symptoms it’s probably fine

I fell down 5 stairs got mangled in friends walker and twisted hit left rear of head on hard concrete, two week later, still hurts now eyes really heavy, sleep sucks, some organs also hurt…

I hit the right side of my head near my temple off a door frame and now my head hurts aswell as the right side of my jaw

I was assaulted, hit pretty hard, when it hit I saw silver streak of bright lights. My nose started giving blood I mean pouring and would t stop it soaked two thick towels. My eyes is black swollen shut and I keep spitting blood from the sinus drain I think. But I can hardly open my mouth and eating hurts like hell, there is so much pressure from my nose to my eye and to my mouth and my ear.

I was assaulted, hit pretty hard, when it hit I saw silver streak of bright lights. My nose started giving blood I mean pouring and would t stop it soaked two thick towels. My eyes is black swollen shut and I keep spitting blood from the sinus drain I think. But I can hardly open my mouth and eating hurts like hell, there is so much pressure from my nose to my eye and to my mouth and my ear.

Hi I got headbutted 3 days ago and a bump and bruise appeared after a while with a headache. But I’ve had this constant headache for the past three days, is this concerning?

I fell off a horse and was knocked out for a few minutes with a little hole in the back of my head (kind of high up, to the left). My eyeglass Rx had been 100/60 x 100/20 for about 20yrs prior to this. About a year later, the big E on the eye chart was blurry in both eyes. So check yourself every six months. Monthly for a child.

Hi. 2 days ago I bent down and had a hard bang of a car door hit me in the side of my head, still feel sick, and a banging headache dent go to A&E cause of waiting time at the minute should I worry

Did you go? I hit mine too but after 6 days just feeling slight headache but had nausea

This happened to me a few weeks ago !

I am today starting to feel sick what should I do ?

I hit the back of my head left side, on a boat on the step to go down and my foot got stuck and went backwards and hit my head, on 4-17-22 while I was on vacation. But I been having light headaches. Do I need to see the doctor?

I was drinking and fell on gravel and split my head pretty hard about a week ago I almost blacked out the other day when I bent my head back to look up .. the cut was on the right side of my head there still is a huge egg that hurts to touch but I’m worried about the dizziness and I did actually fall down the other day bc I got so dizzy thank god my husband caught me and put me down slowly but I haven’t felt right since before this .. 2 years ago I had post concussion syndrome which lasted for two years bc I got hit hard in the head at a work place .. could this be from too many blows to the head ? What should I do if the diZziness and falls and blackouts keep happening ?

Hi there
Just coming down from my attic pushing up the second bit of ladder hadn't done it properly and it flew down on my side of head behind ear. Painful to touch and painful to yawn. Any ideas please. Should I just let it settle. Thankyou in advance.

I fell out of attic about year ago hit my head on radiator fracture my skull and jaw broke my eye socket had very bad bleed in brain had to get blood removed from head then hit my head a week ago nose was bleeding bad and vomiting I have very bad headache

I was walking in the kitchen and slipped and hit my left front side of my head on the ceramic tile floor. However I have a cut overtopped of my eye brow and I’m tired all the time now! What should I do?

CALL YOUR DOCTOR!!!! It says in the fine print.

"Please remember, we are not able to give medical or legal advice. If you have medical concerns, please consult your doctor"

I fell and hit the back of my head on Thursday on concrete , Have been dizzy off and on no LOC. I am on Xerelta for afib and Metoprolol, I have had 2 cardio converaions this year and have been in normal sinus rthym. Woke up today with a black eye. The back of my head the lump is getting smaller with the swelling/using ice packs. Why did I get the black eye?

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