Laceration on the head | Laceration

Laceration on the head

Lacerations of the head are one of the most common injuries. The head should be treated with special care. Depending on the cause of the laceration, a concussion may occur.

Patients often complain of headaches, vomiting, sensitivity to light, drowsiness and short memory gaps. A brief loss of consciousness can also occur. Often the symptoms only appear after a longer period of time after the accident.

Therefore, patients are usually taken to hospital and stay there for one night to control further effects. Often a computed tomography (CT) is also performed to rule out brain haemorrhages. In addition, head lacerations often result in heavy bleeding.

The treatment of a head laceration should be carried out within 6 hours. It is first cleaned and disinfected and then usually sutured with several stitches. The tetanus protection should also be checked.

A laceration on the forehead is very common, especially in children. If they fall, they fall with their forehead to the ground or bump their head on objects. Predestined for this are table edges or door frames.

The treatment of a laceration on the forehead is similar to that of the head. The risk of a concussion is also high here and the patient should be taken to a hospital for 24 hours for observation. The laceration should be cleaned, disinfected and inspected extensively.

If it is less than 6 hours old, it is closed with single button sutures. These can be removed by the family doctor or surgeon. In the case of small children or small wounds, the wound can also be closed alternatively with a band-aid or wound adhesive.

If the last tetanus vaccination is more than 5 years old, a new vaccination should be given. A laceration on the lip occurs relatively quickly. It is often the result of a violent altercation or a fall from a bicycle.

Since the mucous membrane of the lip is very thin, the skin can quickly burst open. At the same time, the lip is also very well supplied with blood, which leads to heavy bleeding, pain and swelling of the lip. When treating the wound, care must be taken to ensure that the blood actually comes from the wound on the lips.

Injuries to the teeth or the tongue are also often the cause of strong blood from the mouth. For this reason, a visit to the dentist is recommended if there is a suspicion of affected teeth. After stopping the bleeding by applying pressure, the wound should be cleaned and its extent inspected.

In most cases, lacerations on the lip are relatively small and a small suture is sufficient. The wound should then be cooled with ice to reduce swelling. Further treatment can be done from home.

If a burning, itching or painful sensation occurs in the course of the procedure, a doctor should be consulted, as there is a suspicion of infection. A laceration to the chin is particularly common in children. It is often the result of a bicycle fall or other falls while playing.

Since the distance from the skin to the bone is very small, there are often lacerations, which usually bleed a lot. Further symptoms can be pain in the chin area, headaches and burning sensation. Severe falls can also result in injuries to the jaw.

If the pain persists or movement restrictions in the jaw occur, a doctor should be consulted. A concussion is less likely than lacerations to the forehead and head. Frequently, falls on the floor cause the wound to be contaminated with gravel or other dirt.

Important cleaning and disinfection are essential to prevent later infection. As a rule, lacerations on the chin are closed with a suture due to the increased tension that exists on the skin.Adhesives or staple plasters cannot guarantee a sufficient seal. Ocular lacerations are often the result of a violent altercation or a sports accident.

In most cases, this results in heavy bleeding and swelling of the eyelid. Often the swelling is so severe that vision in the eye is severely impaired. At the same time, a large bruise often forms around the eye, often called a “violet”.

Here too, there is a risk of concussion and internal bleeding. The eye should also be examined by an ophthalmologist. The wound is usually sutured with several stitches and treated with a plaster.