Head Trauma

What is a concussion?

A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that results from a bump, violent jolt or blow to your head. The injury disrupts normal brain function. You can also get a concussion after a strong body hit causes you to jerk your head forward, backward or to the side.

How do I know if I have a concussion?

One commonly held myth is that a concussion happens only if you lose consciousness. In fact, most people who have a concussion never lose consciousness. It’s also possible that you, your child or another loved one may have had a concussion and not even know it. 

What are the symptoms of a concussion?

The most common symptoms of concussion include:

• Headache which is the most common symptom.

• Nausea and vomiting.

• Confusion.

• Temporary loss of consciousness.

• Balance problems/dizziness/lightheadedness.

• Double vision or blurry vision.

• Sensitivity to light and noise.

• Feeling tired or drowsy.

• Changes in sleep patterns, like sleeping much more or less than usual or can’t sleep.

• Trouble understanding and/or concentrating.

• Depression or sadness.

• Being irritable, nervous and anxious.

• Feelings of being “just not right” or in a "fog."

• Difficulty paying attention, forgetful and/or memory loss.

Anyone who experiences a hit on their head or a whiplash-like head movement should be checked for a concussion. Collecting information immediately after a head trauma is important!

Before you ask questions and as soon as you arrive on the scene: 

Arnica: 

• The first remedy to be administered in any trauma or head injury. 

• It improves the prognosis, the current state and possible sequelae, such as hoarseness, loss of voice, blindness, loss of vision, deafness, coma and convulsions. 

• It is also useful when treating headaches, mental dullness, menginismus. (Meningismus is a set of symptoms similar to those of meningitis but not caused by meningitis. It is characterized by meningeal irritation without objective findings. These symptoms can include headache, neck stiffness, visual blurring, tinnitus, and vertigo). (Meninges are three membrane layers that cover and protect your brain and spinal cord. These meninges are the dura mater, arachnoid mater and pia mater), memory loss and post-traumatic vertigo. 

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If they are in a coma, call 911: get help ASAP.

Questions to ask and note:

• Ask the person what just happened.

• Ask them what they are feeling right now? 

• Ask the person to state their name, where they are, the time and date, and

• Ask the person to spell the word “world” backward.

• Ask the person if they have a headache, feel dizzy or nauseous.

• Ask them if their ears are ringing. 

• Ask the person to follow your finger movements with both of their eyes. Draw a large “x” in front of their eyes. Are both of their eyes following your finger motion?

• Ask the person if they’re experiencing weakness or numbness and tingling anywhere in their body.

• Notice if the person’s speech is normal or slurred.

• Notice if the person’s pupils are the same size or if one is larger than the other.

• Notice if the person is sensitive to sound or light.

• Notice any changes in the person’s behavior. Are they getting more restless, agitated or confused?

• Note if their is a change in their ability to hear. Is there ringing in their ears? 

• Are they experiencing a HA? Where? Ask  them to describe the pain. 

This gives us a good basis from which to suggest or give the appropriate remedy (ies). 

Natrum Suphuricum:

• It is the most important remedy to prevent and treat disorders resulting from head injuries of any kind and degree. 

• It has been recommended for and resolved the consequences of head injuries, such as dizziness, absences, blindness, coma, concussions, convulsions, headache, dullness, madness, sadness, suicidal thoughts and memory loss. 

• Great Depression and sensitivity to music. Worse from moisture and heat. 

Cicuta: 

• Best remedy for violent seizures with horrible spasms arching of the spine, making the patient scream and immersing him in a state of catalepsy.

• Headache, numbness, sadness, memory loss, mental and developmental retardation, and post-traumatic vertigo

  
  

Opium: 

• Remedy for stupor and coma following injuries, head injuries, severe and serious frights, and strokes. 

• The patient presents with a flushed face, hot and puffy, with hot perspiration.

• Apnea, and hoarse breathing, wheezing, loud while exhaling.

• Narcolepsy, deep sleep, with jaw dropping.

  
  

  Hypericum: 

  
  

• Mental and emotional symptoms after injury, such as depression, dullness, forgetfulness, hysteria.

• Seizures due to head and spinal injuries, with tetanic, rigidity (involuntary muscular rigidity and spasms), tonic starting from the spine.

Helleborus: 

• Dullness and stupefaction, answers slowly, weak memory, passive, apathetic, indifferent, blank. Thinks long and hard before answering. 

• Meningismus with automatic chewing movements, brain cry, frowning.

  
  

Cuprum: 

• Diffuse axonal injury, cerebral contusion and intra-parenchymal hemorrhage with seizures and coma. Severe brain injuries.

• Automatic chewing movements, gnashing, gasping for air. Tonic spasm of the thumb towards the inside. Abdominal bowel sounds audible.

  
  

Rhus tox

• Clonic convulsions, epileptiform (resembles epilepsy) with opisthotonus and paralysis from head injuries. Headache, numbness, memory loss, grief and post-traumatic vertigo. Great restlessness, moves the neck, body and legs continuously, < night. Muscle tension < cold, > heat.

  
  

Belladonna: 

• Convulsions and meninges from cranial trauma, violent delirium and congestive headache. 

• Violent behavior and symptoms, anger, with facial flushing and cold extremities. 

• Compare with Stramonium and Hyoscyamus.

Gelsemium: 

• When pain predominates in the occipital area with great heaviness of the eyelids, weakness, poor muscle strength, and trembling limbs. Paralytic weakness. 

Remedies by symptoms

Hoarseness and loss of voice after head injury: Arnica, Aconite, Belladonna and Hyoscyamus.

Absences (petit mal seizures) after head injury: Nat sulph

Blindness, vision loss from head trauma: Arnica and Nat sulph

Coma from head injury (concussion): Arnica, Hypericum, Nat sulf, and Plumbum.

Concussion: Arnica, Cicuta, Hypericum, Nat sulph and Artemisia vulgaris. 

Seizures from head injury: Arnica, Cicada, Cuprum, Hypericum, Sedum, Nat sulph, Artemisia vulgaris, Melilotus, Oenanthe crocata and Rhus tox.

Delirium from head injury: Belladonna, Hyoscyamus, Opium, Stramonia and Veratrum

Headache post head injury: there are 27 remedies, the most important are: Nat sulph, Arnica, Belladonna, Calcarea sulph, Chelidonium, Cicuta, Glonoinum, Hepar sulph, Hypericum, Nat mur, Phos ac, Phosphorus, Rhus tox, and Staphisagria.

Dullness due to head injury: Nat sulph, Arnica, Cicada, Helleborus, Hypericum, Mercurius and Rhus tox

Enuresis, urinary incontinence after head injury: Silica

Insomnia from head injury: Opium

Insanity, mental symptoms, suicidal indication due to cranial trauma: Nat sulph

Memory loss after head injury: Arnica, Nat sulph, Ammonium carb, Cicada, Hypericum, Merc. Sol, and Rhus tox

Meningismus, meningitis, head injury: Arnica

Smell loss after head injury: Thalamus (proposed by Farokh Master)

Neurological disorders from head injuries: Stramonium

Sadness after head injury: Cicada, Nat sulph, Arnica, Carsinosinum, Conium, Helleborus, Hypericum, Pulsatilla, Rhus tox, Sulphur and Sulph ac

Mental retardation and arrested development after head injury: Cicada virus

Deafness, hearing loss from head trauma: Arnica

Vertigo after head injury: Nat sulph, Arnica, Cicuta, Opium, Rhus tox and Ruta