Head Injury: Symptoms, Causes, & When to See a Doctor

A bump to the head can happen in an instant. You might slip on a wet floor, take a knock during sport, or have a small accident at home. In the moments that follow, you may feel mostly fine apart from a tender spot or mild headache, and it can be tempting to brush it off and carry on as usual.

In many cases, minor head injuries do heal well with simple care and rest at home. Still, it is not always easy to tell when an injury needs a closer look, especially since some warning signs can appear later.

Understanding which head injuries you can safely monitor, which ones should be checked at an urgent care centre, and when emergency care is needed can help you protect your health and recover with greater peace of mind.

What is a head injury?

A head injury is any knock or blow to your head. It might be a small bump that leaves a tender spot, a cut that bleeds, or something more serious that affects your brain.

Head injuries fall into three main categories:

• Mild injuries: 

  • Minor bumps, bruises, or small cuts to the scalp that don't affect brain function.

• Moderate injuries: 

  • Injuries that may cause brief loss of consciousness, confusion, or other symptoms that need medical assessment.

• Severe injuries:

  • Serious trauma involving skull fractures, bleeding in or around the brain, or prolonged unconsciousness.

You can't always tell how serious an injury is just by looking at it. A big, dramatic-looking bump might heal perfectly fine on its own. But sometimes a smaller knock that barely leaves a mark can cause problems beneath the surface. What you observe right away helps you make decisions about what to do next.

Causes of head injuries

Head injuries can happen to anyone, often in the most ordinary moments of daily life:

• At home:

  • Slipping in the shower or on wet floors

  • Tripping on stairs or rugs

  • Banging your head getting out of the car or on cupboard doors

  • Falls while doing DIY or household tasks

• During play and sports:

  • Children bumping their heads while playing or learning to walk

  • A football to the head or collision during a game

  • Tumbles from bikes or scooters

  • Playground accidents

• Out and about:

  • Traffic accidents involving cars, bikes, or pedestrians

  • Losing balance and falling, especially in older adults

  • Workplace incidents, particularly on building sites

Accidents happen even when we're being careful. You don't need to blame yourself or feel you should have prevented it. The important thing is knowing how to respond and when to seek help.

What to do immediately after a minor head injury?

The first few minutes after impact are important. This is when you can spot the most obvious warning signs. You can also get a clear picture of the person's condition before symptoms develop or change.

Stay calm and check the basics:

• Help them sit or lie down somewhere safe

• Ask their name, the date and where they are

• Look for bleeding, swelling or visible wounds

• Check they're breathing normally and responding to you

For minor bleeding:

• Apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth

• Clean minor wounds with water

• Cover with a clean dressing

These initial checks help you understand how serious the injury might be and guide your next steps. If everything seems stable and the person is alert, you can move on to monitoring for any developing symptoms.

Symptoms to watch for in the first 48 hours

Even if things seem fine initially, certain symptoms can develop over the next day or two. These aren't necessarily emergencies, but they warrant medical attention to ensure proper recovery and rule out complications. 

Stay alert for:

• A headache that starts mild but gets worse

• Feeling sick or dizzy when moving around

• Sensitivity to light or noise

• Sleeping much more or much less than usual

• Feeling confused or trouble concentrating

• Unusual irritability or mood changes

However, not all head injuries require emergency care. Many fall into a middle ground where professional assessment is helpful, but the situation isn't an emergency. This is where Urgent Care Centres (UCC) become valuable.

When to visit an urgent care centre

If you're unsure whether your head injury needs medical attention, a UCC can provide an initial assessment:

• Very minor head bumps with no red flags

• Small scalp wounds needing cleaning and wound care

• Mild bruising or swelling where the person is fully alert

• Mild headache only after a minor bump

• Follow-up care for previously cleared minor injuries

UCCs can examine you, clean and dress wounds, provide advice on monitoring, and determine if you need referral to emergency care. This makes them ideal for head injuries that seem minor but would benefit from professional assessment.

What happens during a UCC visit for head injury

When you arrive at a UCC with a head injury, your doctor will conduct an assessment to check for any signs of serious complications. Most visits take 30 to 60 minutes from start to finish.

Initial questions

Understanding how your injury happened is the first step in assessing its severity. The force and type of impact can indicate what kind of damage might have occurred, even if you feel fine right now.

You will be asked about:

• How the injury happened and the force of impact

• What symptoms appeared immediately

• Your medical history and current medications

This information helps them determine which physical tests are most important for your specific situation and what warning signs to look for.

Once they understand the situation of your injury, your doctor will move on to physical examinations to check how your brain and nervous system are functioning.

Physical examination

Your brain controls everything from your eye movements to your balance. By testing these functions, your doctor can detect signs of injury that aren't visible from the outside. These tests reveal whether the impact has affected your brain's ability to control your body properly.

Your doctor will check:

• Alertness by asking simple questions about your name, location and the date

• Eye response to see if both pupils react properly to light and are equal in size

• Balance and coordination through tasks like walking in a straight line or touching your nose with eyes closed

• Reflexes by tapping specific points on your body

• Any wounds to determine if stitches or adhesive strips are needed

These observations feed into a standardised scoring system that helps determine your next steps.

Glasgow Coma Scale assessment

The Glasgow Coma Scale is a universal tool used worldwide to measure how well your brain is functioning after an injury. It helps your doctor assess your condition and track any changes. A lower score indicates more serious impairment, while a higher score suggests your brain is working normally.

This standard test measures three areas:

• Can you open your eyes on command?

• How well do you respond to questions?

• Can you follow simple instructions like lifting your arm?

The score helps determine if you need a CT scan to check for bleeding or skull fractures or specialist care. 

The UCC will arrange immediate transfer to A&E if the examination reveals concerning signs such as worsening symptoms, abnormal responses, or indications of skull fracture or internal bleeding. This ensures you get the right level of care without delay.

Warning signs that need emergency care

Certain symptoms indicate serious injury and need immediate hospital care. Knowing these red flags helps you decide between Accident and Emergency (A&E) and a UCC. What you're watching for depends on age – young children and babies show red flags differently than adults.

Go to A&E immediately if you notice any of these warning signs:

Red flags in adults

Adults are often able to explain how they feel. However, they sometimes play down symptoms or try to carry on as usual. 

Seek emergency help if you notice:

• Loss of consciousness (even briefly)

• Repeated vomiting (more than once)

• Severe or worsening headache

• Confusion or unusual behaviour

• Extreme drowsiness or difficulty staying awake

• Clear fluid or blood from nose or ears 

• Any seizure (even if it only lasts a few seconds)

These symptoms suggest the brain may be under pressure or bleeding has occurred. Time matters with head injuries, so seeking help quickly gives you the best chance of a good outcome.

Red flags in children

Children might not be able to accurately tell you how they're feeling, so watch their behaviour closely. 

Get emergency help if your child has:

• Loss of consciousness or seizure

• Repeated vomiting

• Extreme drowsiness or difficulty waking

• Confusion or doesn't recognise familiar people

• Won't stop crying or seems inconsolable

• Clear fluid draining from nose or ears

• Sudden personality changes, including becoming very aggressive

Young children often show injury through changes in behaviour rather than describing symptoms. Pay attention to anything that seems out of character, as this can be your clearest warning sign.

Red flags in infants and toddlers

Babies need extra careful watching because they can't tell what's wrong. Small changes in how they normally behave can signal serious problems. 

Seek urgent care if your baby has:

• Loss of consciousness

• Bulging soft spot on top of head

• Won't stop crying for more than 10 minutes

• Vomits more than once

• Extreme sleepiness or difficulty waking

• Won't feed or drink normally

• Bruising around both eyes or behind the ears

• Any visible dent or odd shape to their skull

Caring for an injured baby can feel frightening, especially when they can't tell you what's wrong. If you spot any of these red flag symptoms, trust your instincts as a parent and seek medical help straight away. 

If none of these emergency symptoms are present, you can still visit a UCC if you'd like professional reassurance

Head injuries can feel scary, but most minor ones heal well with proper care and monitoring. By knowing what to watch for and when to seek help, you're already taking the right steps to ensure the best possible recovery.

FAQ

How long after a head injury can symptoms appear?

Symptoms can show up immediately or develop gradually over 24 to 48 hours. Most appear within the first day, but occasionally bleeding inside the skull causes symptoms days or even weeks later. Delayed symptoms are rare but explain why monitoring matters even when you initially feel fine.

What's the difference between a concussion and a head injury?

A head injury describes any trauma to the head, ranging from a minor bump to a severe injury. A concussion is one specific type where the brain is shaken inside the skull, temporarily affecting how it works. Not all head injuries cause concussions, but every concussion is a head injury.

When can I exercise again after a concussion?

Don't rush back to physical activity or sports injury-prone activities until all symptoms completely disappear and a doctor clears you. Your brain needs time to heal. Returning too soon can cause another injury or worsen brain damage. Follow return-to-sport guidelines with a gradual step-by-step increase in activity, and stop immediately if symptoms come back.

Can you sleep after hitting your head, or do you need to stay awake?

Yes, you can sleep. The outdated advice about staying awake all night isn't necessary and can actually hinder recovery. Just arrange for someone to check on you gently once or twice during the night to ensure you wake normally and respond to simple questions.

How do I know if my baby hit their head too hard?

Watch their behaviour closely. Crying immediately after the bump is normal and actually reassuring. Seek medical help if they won't stop crying, seem unusually sleepy, vomit, refuse to feed, or develop a bulging soft spot on their head. When you're uncertain, contact your doctor rather than waiting to see what happens.

How can I prevent head injuries in young children?

Use safety gates at stairs, avoid baby walkers, and secure children in proper car seats and high chairs. Always supervise infants and toddlers closely and remove injury hazards from your home. When they're old enough for bikes or scooters, make sure their protective helmet fits properly. It should sit level on their head and not move when they shake it.

When do I need a CT scan after hitting my head?

You'll likely need a CT scan if you experience red flag symptoms like passing out (even briefly), vomiting more than once, a severe headache that worsens, confusion, or clear fluid from your nose or ears. Doctors use the Glasgow Coma Scale to check your alertness and decide if brain imaging is needed to look for skull fractures or bleeding inside your head.

The information is intended for general guidance only and should not be considered medical advice. For personalised recommendations and advice based on your unique situation, please consult a specialist at Thomson Medical. Request an appointment with Thomson Medical today.