Individuals who experience slip-and-fall incidents may come away with a variety of injuries, but few are as potentially serious as an intracranial hematoma. According to the Mayo Clinic, this occurs when blood pools inside one’s skull upon the sudden breakage of a blood vessel inside the brain.
Because this type of brain injury can cause serious medical issues if it goes untreated, learning to recognize the symptoms of an intracranial hematoma can allow loved ones to realize when someone who experienced a head injury during a slip and fall may require medical assistance.
Prolonged or increased headaches
When people hit their heads after a fall, it is not unusual for them to experience a headache; however, when instances of painful or an increased number of headaches start to occur days or even weeks after the fall, this may point to an undiagnosed hematoma. New or worsening instances of migraines may also indicate this problem.
Nausea and vomiting
Intracranial hematomas often cause problems with balance and vertigo, which causes sensations of nausea and vomiting. These two symptoms sometimes occur at the same time and the vomiting can be severe depending on the seriousness of the hematoma. If vomiting increases, the victim may want to seek medical assistance as soon as possible.
Confusion and dizziness
When an intracranial hematoma occurs, it can put pressure on the brain and cause dizziness, brain fog and confusion. The victim may have trouble remembering dates, names or start to become unsure of events that happened in the recent past. Confusion may increase the longer the hematoma remains in place.
If this type of hematoma goes untreated, the victim may eventually lose consciousness. Those monitoring someone who suffered a head injury may want to do so carefully to ensure the injury does not cause any permanent harm.
