Head injury, severe - Symptoms 

If a severe head injury is not correctly treated, it can cause serious brain damage. This type of head injury always requires urgent medical attention. The symptoms of a severe head injury can include:

• unconsciousness (either very briefly or for a longer period of time)
• difficulty staying awake or still being sleepy several hours after the injury
• having a seizure or fit (when your body suddenly moves uncontrollably)
• difficulty speaking, such as slurred speech
• vision problems or double vision
• difficulty understanding what people say
• reading or writing problems
• balance problems or difficulty walking
• loss of power in part of the body, such as weakness in an arm or leg
• pins and needles (a prickling or burning feeling) in the hands or feet
• amnesia (memory loss), such as not being able to remember what happened before or after the injury
• clear fluid leaking from the nose or ears (this could be cerebrospinal fluid, which normally surrounds the brain)
• a black eye (with no other damage around the eye)
• bleeding from one or both ears
• new deafness (loss of hearing) in one or both ears
• bruising behind one or both ears
• a lasting headache since the injury 
• vomiting since the injury
• irritability or unusual behaviour
• visible trauma (damage) to the head, such as an open, bleeding wound  

If any of these symptoms are present, particularly loss of consciousness even for a short time, go immediately to the accident and emergency (A&E) department of your local hospital or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Also call 999 for an ambulance if the person with the head injury is not breathing. For more information about accidents and resuscitation, see Accidents and first aid.