Head Injury Center - South Whittier, CAWebMD Physician DirectorySouth Whittier, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-10
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Head InjuryRead the Head Injury article » Head injury introductionHead injuries are one of the most common causes of death and disability in the United States. Every year, almost a quarter million people are hospitalized because of traumatic injuries to the brain, and 50,000 people die. As well, 80-90,000 people sustain long-term or lifelong disabilities because of a brain injury each year. Children are not excluded, with more than 2,500 deaths and almost a half million emergency department visits per year for head injuries. Blows to the head most often cause brain injury, it is important to remember that the face and jaw are located in the front of the head. Brain injury may also be associated with injuries to these structures. It is also important to note that a head injury does not always mean that there is also a brain injury. The brain is a rather soft, pliable material almost jelly-like in feel, and is surrounded by a thin layer of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The brain is surrounded by thin layers of tissue called the meninges; 1) the pia mater, 2) the arachnoid mater, and 3) the dura mater. The CSF is present in the space beneath the arachnoid layer called the subarachnoid space. The dura mater is very thick and has septae, or partitions, that help support the brain in the skull. The septae attach to the inner lining of the bones of the skull. The dura mater also helps support the large veins that return blood from the brain to the heart. The spaces between the meninges are usually very small but they can fill with blood when trauma occurs, and this build-up of blood can potentially press into the brain tissue and cause damage. The skull protects the brain from trauma but it does not absorb any of the impact from a blow. Direct blows may cause fractures of the skull; there can be a contusion or bruising and bleeding to the brain tissue directly beneath the injury site. However, the brain can bounce aro... Recommended Reading Related to Head InjuryIdiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) » What is Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)?Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a bleeding condition in which the blood doesn't clot as it should. This is due to a low number of blood cell fragments called platelets (PLATE-lets). Platelets also are called thrombocytes (THROM-bo-sites). They're made in your bone marrow along with other kinds of blood cells. Platelets stick together (clot) to seal small cuts or breaks on blood vessel walls and stop bleeding. "Idiopathic" (id-ee-o-PATH-ick) means that the cause of the condition isn't known. "Thrombocytopenic" (throm-bo-cy-toe-PEE-nick) means there's a lower than normal number of platelets in the blood. "Purpura" (PURR-purr-ah) refers to purple bruises caused by bleeding under the skin. Overview of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) People who have ITP often have purple bruises that appear on the skin or on the mucous membranes (for example, in the mouth).... Read the Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) article » Other Related Head Injury ArticlesEmergency Contact for South Whittier
Nearby South Whittier Hospitals * Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital  Whittier Hospital Medical Center  Metropolitan State Hospital  Kindred Hospital La Mirada  Norwalk Community Hospital  Coast Plaza Doctors Hospital  Beverly Hospital  Downey Regional Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center  Greater El Monte Community Hospital  College Hospital Cerritos  Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center  BHC Alhambra Hospital  Bellflower Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Baldwin Park  La Palma Intercommunity Hospital  St Jude Medical Center  Monterey Park Hospital  Vista Specialty Hospital of San Gabriel Valley  City of Angels Medical Center Ingleside Campus  Garfield Medical Center  Kindred Hospital Brea  Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles Suburban Medical Center Campus  Citrus Valley Medical Center Queen of the Valley Campus  Tri-City Regional Medical Center  Los Angeles Community Hospital  East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital  Lakewood Regional Medical Center  Doctor's Hospital West Covina  St Francis Medical Center  West Anaheim Medical Center  Anaheim Regional Medical Center  Anaheim General Hospital  San Gabriel Valley Medical Center  Alhambra Hospital Medical Center  Community Hospital of Huntington Park  Los Alamitos Medical Center  Kindred Hospital San Gabriel Valley  Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles  LAC + USC Medical Center  LAC + USC Medical Center Women's & Children's Hospital  Martin Luther King Jr MAC Service Center  USC University Hospital  USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center  Methodist Hospital  White Memorial Medical Center  Citrus Valley Medical Center Inter Community Campus  Western Medical Center Anaheim  City of Hope National Medical Center  Placentia-Linda Hospital  Aurora Las Encinas Hospital  Community Hospital of Long Beach  Long Beach Memorial Medical Center  Miller Children's Hospital  Pacific Alliance Medical Center  VA Long Beach Healthcare System  Huntington Hospital  Kaiser Mental Health Center  Pacific Hospital of Long Beach  Aurora Charter Oak Hospital  California Hospital Medical Center  Kindred Hospital Westminster  Barlow Respiratory Hospital  Orthopaedic Medical Center  Good Samaritan Hospital  University Of California Irvine Medical Center  Garden Grove Hospital & Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Anaheim Medical Center  Gateways Hospital & Mental Health Center  St Mary Medical Center  St Vincent Medical Center  San Dimas Community Hospital  East Valley Hospital Medical Center  Foothill Presbyterian Hospital  Memorial Hospital of Gardena Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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Fracture
- Fractures occur when bone cannot withstand the outside forces applied to the bone. Fractures can be open or closed. Types of fractures include: greenstick, spiral, comminuted, transverse, compound, or vertebral compression. Common fractures include: stress fracture, compression fracture, rib fracture, and skull fracture. Treatment depends upon the type of fracture.
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Headache
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Concussion
- Concussion is a short-lived loss of brain function that is due to head trauma. There are two types of concussion, simple and complex. Symptoms of concussion include headache, nausea, dizziness, dazed feeling, irritability, visual symptoms. Physical signs include poor concentration, emotional changes, slurred speech, and personality changes. Concussion is diagnosed with physical examination and testing. Treatment for concussion in general are treatment for control of the symptoms, and time.
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Aphasia
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Coma
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Blood Clots
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Pulmonary Edema
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Internal Bleeding
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Hematoma
- A hematoma is a collection of blood that is outside a blood vessel. There are different areas where hematomas occur including the inside the skull, scalp, ear, septum, bones, finger and toenails, and intra-abdominal. Treatment for hematomas depend on the type and location of the hematoma.
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Black Eye
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Hemophilia
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Brain Hemorrhage
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Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)
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