Head Injury

Intracranial injuries refer to an injury within the cranium, the part of the skull that encloses the brain. This is the area located within or on the surface of the brain.

Intracranial injury is often referred to as traumatic brain injury. All intracranial injuries are treated as head injuries, although head injuries may also refer to injuries to other parts of the head.

Intracranial injury generally occurs when an external mechanical force causes damage to the brain. The mechanical force can come from rapid acceleration, deceleration, penetration by an object or projectile, blast waves, and other things. An intracranial injury can temporarily or permanently impair brain functionality. The structural damage caused by trauma may or may not be detectable using imaging techniques.

At the workplace, an intracranial injury could be a result of an accident such as fall, vehicle crash, explosion, hit by an object, or workplace violence. Intracranial is a sub heading listed under the traumatic injuries and disorders, which refers to the injuries that occur to a worker and are emotionally disturbing and disconcerting. An intracranial injury can leave the worker totally traumatized and disconcerted. It can have a huge emotional and mental impact on a worker. They may have to live with the emotional scars of the traumatic workplace accident for years.

Occupations That Have a High Risk for Intracranial Injuries

While an intracranial injury can occur in any kind of workplace, it is more commonly reported in some occupations than others. Here are some types of jobs that have a high risk for intracranial injuries:

• Police and security
• Mechanics and service
• Mining
• Factory and assembly line
• Construction
• Plant and manufacturing
• Transportation and delivery
• Oil and gas

Due to the nature of work involved and working conditions, workers at these jobs are more prone to accidents that can lead to intracranial injuries and other types of traumatic brain injuries.

Symptoms of an Intracranial Injury

Like any other head injuries, intracranial injuries too are serious and require urgent medical intervention. In medical terms, intracranial injuries are typically categorized as mild, moderate, and severe. Some common symptoms that an injured worker may experience after an intracranial injury include:

• Convulsions
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness
• Difficulty balancing
• Behavioral or mood changes
• Memory, cognitive, concentration and attention problems
• Weakness on one side of the body
• Paralysis

If a worker shows any of these signs or symptoms after a workplace injury, chances are that they have suffered a traumatic brain injury. In this case, you should immediately call for medical help as any delay in treatment can make matters worse.

Work Related Injuries

An injured worker suffering from a work-related head injury may never be able to enjoy the same quality of life as before the accident.

Workplace accidents may cause head injuries, which can range from minor to debilitating. Head injuries are classified into closed head injuries and open head injuries. While open head injuries are caused when an object penetrates the brain, closed head injuries can be diffuse and are caused by blunt trauma and no object actually penetrates the brain.

Closed Head Injuries

Closed head injuries are more common as compared to open head injuries. Post-concussion syndrome results when a person suffers a blow to the head and the striking object does not actually penetrate the skull, but the impact is strong enough to cause brain damage and results in traumatic brain injury. Every year, 7 million closed head injuries are reported in the United States every year. More serious concussions can have the same consequences as traumatic brain injuries and may cause permanent brain damage. The effects that follow a closed head injury that causes serious brain injury are referred to as post-concussion syndrome.

Causes of Work-Related Closed Head Injuries

Closed head injuries occur when a sharp blow to the head shakes the brain. An injured person may experience symptoms immediately or after a few hours or even days. After suffering a concussion, an injured worker may develop a condition known as post-concussion syndrome. The most common types of workplace accidents that cause closed head injuries include:

• slip and fall accidents
• physical assault
• falling objects
• construction accidents
• motor vehicle accidents
• crane and scaffold accidents

Workers who suffer closed head injuries at the workplace and suffer from symptoms of post-concussion syndrome may not be able to return to work for an extended period of time. They may also require prolonged and expensive treatment and therapy.

Signs and Symptoms of Closed Head Injuries

The injury itself and post-concussion syndrome may have a severe effect on the normal functioning of the brain. Injured employees may not be able to perform the duties that they earlier could and may not remain as proficient at the work as they were before the injury. Common effects of closed head injuries are:

• dizziness
• seizures
• epilepsy
• chronic headaches
• vision or hearing loss
• altered taste or smell
• amnesia
• fatigue
• coma
• sleep disorder
• confusion and slurred speech
• inability to focus and think
• cognitive problems
• depression
• anxiety
• memory loss (short- or long-term)

Work Related Injuries