is it true you're not supposed to go to sleep for a while after hitting your head hard?

Question

I am wondering b/c I JUST hit my head HARD on a friggin' cupboard corner :( and it is rapidly sprouting a big lump.......I actually hit it so hard I feel a little short of breath. I've been told b4 to not go to sleep too soon after something like that. Is that true? and if so, how long? I don't want to be up all night!

Answer 1

Yes, they say stay up for a 1/2 an hour. If you have a concussion (which I doubt) you will have a headache. Even at that you will be ok. I had a car accident and had a concussion that lasted 2 weeks - I certainly didn't stay up two weeks. LOL So, I don't believe you are in any danger at all. Put some ice on that lump for 15 minutes and go to bed knowing you are ok. I think I'd give that cupboard a piece of my mind. No doubt you did. LOL

Answer 2

It is not a matter that anything happens during sleep that would affect
someone after a brain injury, instead the recommendation given to patients
after receiving a blow to the head is to stay awake simply as a means of
determining whether a serious injury has occurred. If a patient were to go
to sleep, one could not assess the mental status changes that sometimes
occur in a delayed fashion after a traumatic brain injury.

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/feb99/919696159.Me.r.html


Web www.dmt123.com

Why do people tell you not to go to sleep after hitting your head really hard on something?

Question: I've always wondered why do they tell you that and no one seems to know.do you? Help me out plz!!

Answers:
Hard knocks to the head may have consequences later on that will not be apparent if you decide to fall asleep - concussions are not to be taken lightly, and there also could be a build up of pressure on the brain from bleeding..so it is a good idea to stay awake and be alert to any changes in vision, talking, head pain, etc.

http://www.dmt123.com/other-health/1493-dmt123.html

Answer 3

That's not such a mystical prediction. Increased violent reactions, secondary to PTSD, is typical in veterans of any conflict. The whole well mytholgized and revered period of the "Old West", laden with violence and murder rates not yet seen again in American crime rates, was most likely the result of veterans of the Civil War being loose, constantly drunk and with no law to stop them, raging all over the place. It's easy to predict that gasoline will hit 4.00 a gallon at some point. It's not so easy to recall that one of the favorite talking points of right-wing radio during the campaign of 2000 was that if Al Gore were to become President, gasoline would "spike" to 1.50 a gallon. The "illegal immigration" issue has BEEN an issue ever since immigration was made "illegal" in the 1920s. Ironically, the first huge backlash against immigrants was targeted against the very same group - Mexicans - during the Great Depression. Before that, and following that, Americans just focused their attention elsewhere because the economy wasn't as bad in other periods. Whenever Americans feel economically thereatened, they have ALWAYS blamed it in "immigrants" even when there was no immigration law. And it's fairly obvious that the American presence in Iraq is a quagmire from which there is no easy exit. That's been said repeatedly since even before the war began. Just like this hysteria on immigration, racism was the driving force for Americans supporting an invasion of Iraq. They wanted SOME Ay-rabs to pay for 9/11. They didn't care who. They didn't care how. So they ignored all analysis of just how difficult it would be to LEAVE Iraq if destabilizing it. They now blame George Bush alone instead of themselves.

Answer 4

You did not hit your head hard enough to cause a concussion even though you are getting a goose egg. Put some ice on the goose egg to keep the swelling down. When you have a major head injury like a car accident or fall down some stairs or fall and hit your head on the coffee table yes you should keep the person awake for a while or wake them up every 30-60 minutes and ask them a question only they can answer ie: what is your dogs name to be sure they do NOT have signs of a concussion.

Answer 5

The only time you aren't supposed to let yourself fall asleep is when you've had a concussion. If you're concerned that you might have a concussion, go to the hospital and have it checked out. In all likelihood, the shortness of breath is due to the pain and perhaps a bit of shock from what happened. Put some ice on it and take some ibuprofen. If you start to feel dizzy or have trouble seeing, or if anything else unusual starts to happen, have it checked out.

Answer 6

I'm not a medical professional but I do believe you shouldn't go to sleep after smacking your melon. If you have a concussion, you could potentially have swelling or bruising of your brain. If you go to sleep you will have no awareness of your condition and could possibly (though very unlikely) slip in to a coma and never wake up. If you hit your noggin that hard you need to make a trip to the ER and get an x ray.

Answer 7

You've been told to do it so that proper assessment to your consciousness could be done to you later. You know, a part of our brain is responsible for our alertness, awakeness and consciousness so when you hit your head hard, there might be some instances that this part of your brain could be accidentally damaged. So, you were told to be awake just to be sure that your brain was not harmed. You could go to sleep ader 2-3 hours when no harm is confirmed. My best advise? If you feel sleepy right away, dizzy or nauseous,consult your doctor immediately

Answer 8

If you don't become overwhelmingly sleepy in the next two hours, you are probably just fine, the skull is a pretty good protector. With a head injury, sudden and overwhelming sleepiness is an indication of concussion or even worse, like hemorrhage.

Answer 9

You sound too lucid to have had a concussion. That is the worry after a blow to the head: is the person sleeping or have they gone unconscious.

If it's bedtime, sleep.

Answer 10

I would wait about 2 hours before going to sleep. After that - you should be ok.