Head / Scalp Injury Questions

[Sparkles]

I fell on July 7, I think, due to a complex partial seizure. When I fell I hit my head on the corner of my coffee table. My memory is mostly gone for about 6 hours. There was a LOT of blood - on my head, neck, face, couch, pillow, and some on the floor. The next day I showered to wash it off and my head hurt quite a bit, continuing to hurt throughout the day. I went to the Urgent Care place near my house after work and they ran a CT, which showed no brain bleed, thank goodness. Since I'd waited almost 24 hours, and the cut was not too, too deep, they chose not to stitch it. (I had asked here about removing blood from my couch, and thanks to Nakamova, I got it way, way faded, thanks so much!!)

I have two more questions, if anyone can help.

First, my scalp still hurts, a lot. It hurts when I touch it like a bruise, but different. More sensitive and more painful. I assume that is because it was cut open and because there are more nerves and veins at the scalp. I tried to look up on line how long to expect this pain but I came across information on head injuries (not scalp) and scalp pain (not related to head injuries - interesting, but not relevant stuff there). So from your experiences, if you've hit your head, how long has the pain lasted? Sometimes it hurts when I don't touch it, especially at the end of the day. It hurts enough I need to take Aleve, Tylenol, or pull out the big guns, Hydrocodone. I don't want to check back with Urgent Care, my Primary Care will refer me to the Neuro, and they wont call me back for days and if they do will refer me back to Urgent Care. Sigh. So It's been 22 days.

Second, ok, less important, I know, but I'm a feminine, girly girl, and I work, and I like my hair. More or less. It's longer than in my picture now. Sometimes I straighten it, pull it up (especially now in the humid, hot South Carolina summer). I think it's falling out at the site of the injury. Clumps bigger than usual came out on my pick and brush today, it feels really weird at the site of the cut/bump/bruise, and I'm afraid I'm going to lose my hair where my scalp was injured. It feels like the hair is falling out there. If that's the case, I wont be able to pull it up for the rest of the summer, which could be until November here. Again, in the scheme of things, I know, I know... but is there anything I can do to avoid this? Anyone know? Again... sigh.

Any advice is appreciated more than I can say. I wish I could give as much advice as I receive here. I read on here almost every day for information, advice, support. I feel like, I can't quite put it in words, but my life is better because of this site and all of you. Seriously better.

 

[Sparkles]

I just found some answers to my questions.

I found this site where you can ask neurologists questions. I x'd out of it though before I thought to write it down. A woman was having scalp pain after a car accident. Though her head injury sounded much worse, the same thing may be happening. Some internal swelling. So he suggested ice and Aleve and pain meds if necessary. Bad news, she's on 5 weeks. But her injury was worse, so I'm hoping to not go so long.

As for the hair, I read that blunt trauma can cause hair loss, and that hair can't grow on scars. The hair may indeed fall out and where the scar is it will not grow back. I'm not as worried about that, as it's not very thick, maybe 1/4" thick and 2" long and the hair over and around will cover it. But, the more depressing news is that when there is blunt trauma, sometimes hair will fall out and sometimes that also can be permanent if blood vessels are damaged.

Feeling really down about that. I'm trying the whole, it could be worse thing. Not working in this moment. Maybe it will later. I know, it's just hair...

 

[Nakamova]

I'm glad you got some answers. I know it's no fun to have to deal with hair loss on top of everything else. When I first went on Lamictal my hair was falling out and I was freaking out (I've had long hair all my life). It didn't get to the point that I was balding, but it was distressing. I don't know whether the hair loss was from the Lamictal or from the Zonisamide I was on before that (since hair loss cycles can show up as a delayed reaction to prior stresses), but I was relieved when it stopped falling out after a few months.

I don't think you need to worry about damage to the blood vessels since the cut was shallow, and there were no issues on the CT scan. You should be careful around the injured area (brush it as little as possible), and make sure you are getting proper nutrition (some vitamin deficiencies can make hair loss worse). As for the pain & swelling, I think the ice is a good idea. Minimizing stressors like eyestrain, neck stiffness, bright sun, vigorous exercise, etc. can help too as the brain heals. Get extra rest when possible. You might try foods (like fresh pineapple) that can help reduce inflammation.

I had a major head injury when I was 5 -- I fell off some baseball bleachers and struck my head on the metal struts on the way down. My head hurt for a long time after that, but now I can't even find the scar. I hope you heal quickly, and feel better soon.

 

[C0urt]

it will grow back, i have hit my head on stuff.
i ride a bike my hair and blood is on the road all over the city

 

[Sparkles]

Thanks Nakamova & Court.

I do get worried about concussions. My first one happened when I was 5 also. I was on a see saw and the bell rang from recess and the little girl on the bottom side jumped off when I was on top and I fell down on the black top and blacked out. Back then no MRIs or CT scans, but I was unconscious for a long time, and had signs of a concussion. The second one happened when I was a little older when I was diving for a water balloon in the street and landed forehead first on the stone curb. Blacked out again and had a goose egg on my forehead. My parents tell me they had to keep me up asking me who I was and where I was. My third on happened in college on a foot board - not in a fun way - I was reaching for something and never had a foot board and banged my head so hard that I knocked myself out. I started vomiting that night and was out of it. Then in graduate school I passed out on a concrete floor after a blood test and started the whole throwing up, dizzy, where am I thing.

So, now, I have epilepsy and I've fallen on my head twice. The last time - I don't remember when it was, but in the last year - I didn't get it checked out, it was just a bump on the back of my head toward the bottom and it hurt for a week or two. This time, it was the blood that freaked me out. Wow, a lot. I did read that the head/scalp bleeds a lot. So I tried not to let it bother me, except the clean up. But I would have thought the pain would be gone by now. I am relieved to read that it can take awhile. Ice and Aleve have become my companions through this falling down seizure cycle. I would be very bummed if my hair didn't grow back, but it sounds like aside from maybe right over the scar, it will. And since stress doesn't help, time to keep breathing and relax about it.

I've not been this stressed in awhile. Not sure what's up that things are bothering me so much. Maybe I need to go back on vacation!

 

[petero]

yeah I was just going to say icepack..
hydrocodone= yuck for me
I was on that after a car wreck where i was rear-ended and it got me drinking again after a couple months sober

well ok it wasn't that specifically, as I had no real recovery plan...
but that shit knocked me down hard hard hard

 

[Sparkles]

Petero, hydrocodone makes me sleepy, so I try to not take it and if I do only at home, and then I'm dozing off on the couch and my kids assume I have a migraine. So if the ice and Aleve can help, that would be way better! I'm using ice right now and so far, much better than last night.

Man, sorry about your car accident, and I'm sorry about Nakamova's fall and C0urt's falls off the bike. I have been clumsy my whole life. It's been like the family joke. Not anymore, everyone but me has lost a sense of humor. But now, I'm crazy clumsy. Like walk into walls, drop things dozens of times a day, trip over my own feet, crazy clumsy. I'm wondering about correlations between being clumsy before and after epilepsy... Just random thought there.

 

[Endless]

Hi, sparkles,

You got lots of great answers, including your own. I just want to add that I passed out and hit my head about 6 months ago and the spot still hurts - it's like my hair hurts when I touch my scalp, and it's tender when I brush it. I had a more recent head injury - I was dumped on my head and my head/ear/jaw got caught in the bottom of a technical chair with lots of rods and levers. Long story. I was left with a giant goose egg behind my ear and on top of my head. It still hurts, too. The good news is the scalp wound with 23 stiches when I was 16 years old is completely healed - I can't feel it at all. The hair grew back on that one within a few months. Ask your doctor if you can take some vitamin D. It helps hair grow faster and better.

Feel better soon, okay?

 

[Sparkles]

Thanks Endless. I take vitamin D due to a deficiency. Or I had a deficiency now it's controlled with the supplement. Hopefully that will help. I'm sorry about your head injuries. Ouch! I'm so glad they are better and thanks for the information.

Thanks everyone. I feel so much calmer this morning. The anxiety was a little high yesterday!