It’s estimated that over two million Americans will experience a traumatic head injury per year. Since the head is a sensitive area of the body, it should be kept safe. However, despite all the care that you might take to keep your head protected, it can be more susceptible to bumps that are caused by household accidents, freak accidents, sports, and road accidents that may even lead to a lifelong disability or be fatal. Most people will recover after suffering a concussion, but the speed of their recovery depends on several factors. Age, health, and the way that somebody looks after themselves after being injured can have a lot to do with the time that it takes for them to recover. Some of the main things to do to encourage good recovery after a head injury include:
Be Honest About Your Symptoms
Suffering from a head injury can often put you in a condition that can be quite emotionally and physically challenging. It’s not unusual to feel quite confused and unwell, and it can be difficult to explain how you are feeling to others, or even accept it yourself. However, if you have suffered a head injury, then you need to be honest about your symptoms as minimising or hiding the symptoms can make it even worse in the long run. Your doctor needs to know the whole truth in order to ensure that the right type of head injury treatment is carried out. Share all the facts to ensure that your doctor has all the information that they need to treat you effectively. This is also important if you are claiming for a head injury. Find out more about a head injury claim.
Be Ready for Symptoms to Change
You might experience several different symptoms with many types of head injuries, and they might change a lot. Sometimes, head injury symptoms can change so much that you might not even notice a new symptom until it is causing serious disruptions or problems in your life. It’s a good idea to record your symptoms and make a note of anything new that arises, and let your doctor know so that your treatment can be adjusted if needed. This also ensures that your symptoms are all recorded should you decide to make a claim in the future.
Get Plenty of Rest
After experiencing a head injury or concussion, it’s important to get plenty of rest as it helps with healing the brain. Trying to push through and ignore the symptoms or trying to be tough about it can only make the situation worse and might slow your healing process down. If you have suffered a head injury, the best thing to do is simply be patient as it is going to take some time before you are able to fully return to your normal way of life. Take things slowly, don’t overdo it and take your doctor’s advice.
Avoid Smoking and Alcohol
After sustaining a head injury, your body and brain is going to be in ‘recovery mode’ for a while. Because of this, it’s a good idea to steer clear of anything that might hinder your healing. Eat healthy food and avoid smoking or drinking alcohol while you are healing. The healthier your diet and lifestyle during this time, the easier your body will find it to recover from the injury.
Avoid Screen Time
While it’s becoming harder and harder to stay away from screens entirely in the modern world, limiting your screen time as much as possible is necessary if you are in the process of recovering from a head injury. Spending too much time in front of a screen can begin to put pressure on your brain, which can worsen symptoms if you are suffering from a head injury. It is best to give your brain the chance to rest for a while. Rest and try to sleep instead of doing things like going on your phone or watching TV. If you have to work in front of a screen, you might want to think about taking some time off sick or asking your employer to reduce your hours while you recover. If either of these are not possible, then be sure to take regular breaks.
Take Any Prescribed Medication
If you have been prescribed any medication by your doctor to help with the recovery period of your head injury, then you should take this as instructed while recovering. Make sure that you stick to the schedule suggested by your doctor as missing doses can mean your healing period will take longer than expected.
A head injury can lead to a range of symptoms and may take some time to recover from. If you have suffered a head injury, keep these tips in mind to be in with the best chance of a quick recovery.
