Head injuries

[Warrick]

Hi, I've been on warfarin plus aspirin now for 3 1/2 months , INR 2-3 for mechanical AVR. I have read about the risks of intracranial bleeding, but not really thought much of it.
I was at work (harvester mechanic) today and smacked my head twice on the machine I was working under, the second time was fairly painful, I had to lay there for a minute to recover.

It left a pingpong ball size lump on the top of my forehead I can still feel. I read abit about it via google and the stats didn't look overly flash for risk factors,
but am wondering if/what others experiences with head injuries are as in my job climbing under machinery and smacking your nut once in a while is the norm, I have never knocked myself out but come close. Have had my forehead sewn up once years ago.
Thanks
Warrick

 

[pellicle]

Hi

...and smacked my head twice on the machine I was working under, the second time was fairly painful, I had to lay there for a minute to recover.

It left a pingpong ball size lump on the top of my forehead

the classic popeye lump on the head is a bruise on the bone

subperiosteal hematoma

http://www.valvereplacement.org/foru...y-graphic-pics

you can of course get these without being on warfarin, but they're usually something that requires a bigger hit ... warfarin means you can get the "brag points" without the concussion

I'd also get checked for concussion and tell the hospital you're on warfarin.

PS: I now use a leather cap (baseball cap) when working under the house as last time I got splinters in my scalp from the hardwood beams ... (gong)

and its actually good as it does soften the blow!

 

[pellicle]

Hi

I wanted to add a PS to this thread:

injuries of all nature should be taken seriously weather we are or are not on warfarin. Follow sound first aid principles.

Some great injury photos and good advice there too

http://www.scifighting.com/2014/09/0...nt-head-lumps/
The most common and effective way to handle any bruise is the R.I.C.E. method:

• Rest
• Ice
• Compression
• Elevation

This needs to happen as soon as possible. The smaller you can keep the swelling, the better.

 

[skeptic49]

I had a fall when I was on Warfarin. Smacked my head pretty good...resulting in a lump and a black eye. Went to the ER. They did a CT scan to make sure that there was no internal brain bleed. I agree that injuries of this nature should always be taken seriously. But on Warfarin is seems to me that there is an added risk of a brain bleed.

Jim

 

[dick0236]

Over the past several years I've noticed more and more "hard hats" being worn by construction, utility, etc. workers when on a jobsite. That indicates that head injury is a fairly common injury among those workers. It might be a good idea that you get used to wearing some kind of head protection when crawling around machinery. Personally I've never had a head bump or cut serious enough to cause me undo concern and only one trip to an ER, 30 years ago, for stitches due to a scalp cut......but I never worked in an occupation where head injury is more likely to happen.