Head injuries are the top reason for brain injuries, simply due to the fact that the brain exists within the skull.
Different factors can contribute to the way that a brain injury may manifest after a person suffers from a blow to the head.
How head and brain injuries relate
Johns Hopkins Medicine discusses injuries to the head and brain. Generally speaking, head and brain injuries relate in severity. A particularly strong blow to the head will usually result in a worse injury to the brain, as the brain will likely strike the inside of the skull with more force.
Two of the most common sources of injury come from brain swelling and brain bleeding. This can create bruises on the brain, which can lead to more complicated health issues later down the line.
Brain swelling and bleed
As for brain swelling, this can create issues because it may cause the brain to press up against the interior of the skull, cutting off blood and oxygen to it. If left untreated, this can lead to tissue and cell death within the brain and thus brain damage.
Both brain bleeding and swelling may end up fatal if not treated appropriately, which is part of why immediate medical care is so crucially important.
On top of that, brain injuries may worsen over time. For example, an untreated bleed in the brain might not clot properly on its own, or the clotting itself could create health issues. All in all, it’s a dangerous place for a head injury victim to be.