Head Injury Advice - Adult

Cork Emergency Departments

Common complaints symptoms following a head injury are:

• mild headache
• dizziness
• memory problems
• poor concentration
• being easily annoyed
• tiredness
• poor sleep

If these complaints are getting worse or you still have them after two weeks you should see your own doctor. Print version

(Advice for the person taking a patient home from the Emergency Department)

Please watch the patient closely over the next day or so and rouse gently every few hours:

• Do not leave the patient alone in the home
• Make sure that there is a nearby telephone, and that the patient stays within easy reach of medical help
• Symptoms to look out for:
  • Is it difficult to wake the patient up?
  • Is the patient very confused?
  • Does the patient complain of a very severe headache?
  • Has the patient vomited?
  • Had any fits?
  • Lost consciousness?
  • Complained of weakness or numbness in an arm or a leg?
  • Complained about not seeing normally?
  • Had any watery fluid coming out of their ear or nose?

If the answer to any of these questions is 'Yes' or you are worried about anything else, you should telephone the Emergency Department at the above number, or if you are very worried take the patient straight back to the

Some extra advice for the patient to help you get well:

Following this advice will help you to recover from your head injury more quickly, and it may stop some of the symptoms from happening.

• Do have plenty of rest and avoid stressful and noisy situations
• Do not take any alcohol
• Do not take sleeping pills, sedatives or tranquillisers unless they are prescribed by a doctor
• Do not play any contact sport (e.g. football or squash) for at least three weeks without talking to your doctor first

IRFU concussion guidelines 2014 (print version). Print version