Head injuries can be alarming, and it’s crucial to know when to seek medical attention.
While severe head trauma often requires emergency care, many head injuries can be effectively treated at an urgent care center. ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care centers are equipped to handle a variety of non-life-threatening head injuries, providing timely and professional care when you need it most.
In this blog, we’ll explore the types of head injuries that can be treated at urgent care, when to visit the ER, and how urgent care can support your recovery.
What is Classified as a Head Injury?
A head injury is any trauma that affects your skull, scalp, or brain. These injuries can range from minor bumps and bruises to more serious conditions like concussions or brain hemorrhages.
Common classifications of head injuries include:
- Scalp Injuries: These may involve cuts, scrapes, or bruises on the scalp.
- Skull Injuries: These include fractures or deformities in the skull.
- Brain Injuries: Concussions, contusions, or more severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) fall under this category.
Head injuries can result from falls, accidents, sports activities, or direct blows to the head. It’s essential to monitor any head injury for symptoms that could indicate a more severe problem.
The Most Common Head Injuries
The most common head injuries treated at urgent care centers include:
- Concussions: A mild traumatic brain injury caused by a blow or jolt to the head.
- Contusions: Bruising of the brain tissue.
- Lacerations: Cuts or tears in the scalp that may require stitches.
- Hematomas: Blood clots that form outside of blood vessels in the brain.
- Whiplash: A neck injury caused by a rapid back-and-forth head movement, often seen in car accidents.
These injuries can vary in severity, so you must seek medical evaluation if you experience any symptoms.
What Causes Dizziness and Vomiting?
Dizziness and vomiting are common symptoms associated with head injuries, particularly concussions.
Dizziness can occur when the brain is affected by trauma, disrupting the inner ear or the brain’s ability to process sensory information.
Vomiting is often a result of increased intracranial pressure or irritation of the brain's vomiting center.
These symptoms may not appear immediately and can develop hours or even days after the injury. If you experience persistent dizziness or vomiting following a head injury, it’s crucial to seek medical attention.
Should I go to Urgent Care or ER for a Head Injury?
Determining whether to go to urgent care or the emergency room (ER) depends on the severity of the head injury. Urgent care centers are suitable for:
- Minor concussions
- Small lacerations that may need stitches
- Mild headaches or dizziness
- Minor scalp injuries
However, you should go to the ER if you experience:
- Loss of consciousness
- Severe headache
- Repeated vomiting
- Seizures
- Clear fluid or blood leaking from the nose or ears
- Significant confusion or disorientation
- Large or deep scalp lacerations
These symptoms could indicate a more severe condition, such as a traumatic brain injury, which requires immediate emergency care.
When to Go to Urgent Care After Hitting Your Head
At ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care, we treat a full range of injuries and illnesses, including head traumas.
If you hit your head and experience mild to moderate symptoms, it’s a good idea to visit us for an evaluation.
Common reasons to visit us after a head injury include:
- Persistent but mild headaches
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Nausea without repeated vomiting
- Small cuts or bruises on the scalp
- Mild confusion or difficulty concentrating
- Neck pain or stiffness, possibly indicating whiplash
We can provide appropriate treatment, such as stitches for lacerations, pain management, and monitoring for signs of more severe injury.
Can Urgent Care Diagnose a Concussion?
Yes, urgent care centers like ClearChoiceMD are equipped to diagnose concussions.
Our healthcare providers can assess your symptoms, perform a neurological exam, and provide guidance on managing your concussion.
While most concussions can be treated at home with rest and over-the-counter pain relievers, it’s important to have a medical professional evaluate your injury to rule out more severe complications.
Can Urgent Care Sew a Brow Laceration?
Absolutely. If you have a laceration on your brow or scalp, our urgent care providers can clean the wound and, if necessary, sew it with stitches to promote proper healing. They will also provide instructions on caring for the wound at home to prevent infection and minimize scarring.
Can You Go to Urgent Care for Whiplash?
Yes, all of our urgent care centers can treat whiplash.
Treatment may include over the counter pain medication, physical therapy recommendations, and advice on how to care for the injury at home.
One of our providers may refer you for further evaluation at the emergency room if your symptoms are severe.
Timely Urgent Care for a Head Injury Near You
When a head injury needs attention, ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care is here to provide the care you need.
Our centers offer extended hours and walk-in visits, ensuring you receive prompt, expert treatment without the wait. We're committed to helping you recover quickly and safely so you can feel like yourself again.
Find your nearest ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care center, and let us take care of your head injury with the expertise and compassion you deserve.
