When someone is hit in the head hard enough to break the skull or expose the brain, it can be hard to decide what to do for them. But the public can help people with an open head injury before emergency crews arrive. This article will teach you treat someone who has suffered a serious open head injury.
Instructions
1. Know what an open head injury is. An open head injury breaks the skull or exposes the brain. This could include a gunshot wound, a stabbing, an injury from a severe fall or other serious blow to the head.
2. Remember that the scalp is filled with thousands of tiny veins. Any head wound, large or small, will bleed a lot. Control the bleeding by pressing a folded up piece of gauze, sheet or other clean cloth on the wound. Don't press so hard that you may accidentally push loose pieces of skull further into the open head injury.
3. Keep the patient calm and still. A head wound can cause behavior changes, aggression, nausea or even unconsciousness. Expect the unexpected and ask a bystander to hold the patient still while you treat the open head injury.
4. Be prepared to secure the patient's neck and back, if the patient fell. Hold the patient's head, neck and spine in alignment while other bystanders carefully turn them onto their back. Secure their head into place by placing pillows or other bulky objects on either side of their head, and securing with tape or a belt.
5. Do not remove any object that penetrates the skull, such as a knife or stick. Removing the object could cause further brain damage and increase bleeding. Secure the object in place with tape and bulky padding, so it will not move around.
Tags: head injury, open head, open head injury, head wound, open head injury, their head, with tape