Emergency and Urgent Care - Head Injury Advice - Adult

This leaflet contains discharge advice following your attendance to the Accident & Emergency Department (A&E) or Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC).

You have suffered a mild head injury and the chances of anything serious developing are very small. However, we recommend that you should be watched at home for 48 hours.

If any of the following symptoms occur, please contact/return to the A&E Department/UTC you attended:

• Unconsciousness or lack of full consciousness (for example, problems keeping eyes open)
• Any confusion, such as not knowing where you are
• Any drowsiness (feeling sleepy) that goes on longer than 1 hour when you would normally be wide awake
• Any problems understanding or speaking
• Any loss of balance or problems walking
• Any weakness in one or more arms or legs
• Any problems with your eyesight
• Very painful headache that won’t go away
• Any vomiting – getting sick
• Any fits or collapsing or passing out suddenly
• Clear fluid coming out of your ear or nose
• Bleeding from one or both ears
• New deafness in one or both ears

General advice

• Take plenty of rest and avoid stressful situations
• Avoid taking alcohol or drugs, including sleeping pills or tranquilizers, unless a doctor has prescribed them, until your symptoms have settled
• Simple pain-killers, such as paracetamol, should be taken for a headache
• Make sure that you are not at home alone during the first 48 hours after leaving hospital, and that you are within easy reach of a telephone in case you need to ring for medical assistance
• Do not return to your usual school/college/work activity until you feel you have fully recovered
• Avoid driving a car, motorbike or bicycle, or operating machinery
• You should also avoid playing any contact sports for at least 3 weeks without talking to a doctor first

Common symptoms

Patients often complain of the following symptoms after an injury of this sort. They are unpleasant, but are not usually associated with long-term or serious problems:

• Mild headache
• Feeling sick (without vomiting)
• Feeling irritable
• Dizziness or light-headedness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Difficulty remembering things
• Feeling generally tired
• Lack of appetite
• Difficulty sleeping

For most people, these symptoms will start to improve after a few days. However, if they persist for more than 2 weeks, you should arrange to see your own GP.

A&E Department:
Fairfield General Hospital - 0161 778 2600