Injuries to the Head and Spine

1. Injuries to the Head and Spine

2. The Head • Head • Skull = cranium, face, and teeth • Inside the cranium is the brain and primary neural tissues

3. Nervous System • Main components • Brain • Cranial Nerves • Spinal Cord • Spinal Nerves • Peripheral Nerves

4. The Nervous System • Function = communicate, coordinate, and regulate • 2 main divisions • Central Nervous System (CNS) = brain & spinal cord • Peripheral Nervous System = everything outside the brain & spinal cord • Function = gathers info and carries info to and from the CNS

5. The Nervous System • 2 Types of Neurons (nerve cells) • Afferent Neurons = sensory • Found in skin, muscles, joints, and sensory organs • Indicates pressure, temperature, and pain • Efferent Neurons = motor • Stimulate skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle • Mixed Neurons = combo of sensory and motor • Located in the brain and spinal cord

6. Motor versus Sensory Motor Neuron Sensory Neuron

9. The Brain • Parts of the brain • Cerebrum • largest part • controls willful actions, interprets sensory messages • governs thought and speech • Cerebellum • Muscle coordination and maintains balance

10. The Brain • Parts of the brain • Hypothalmus • Regulates body temp and sleep cycles • Medulla Oblongata • Controls involuntary actions such as respiration, heartbeat, blood pressure, swallowing, and couphing

11. The Brain

12. Cranial Nerves

14. Injuries to the Brain: Concussion • Concussion – injury to the brain or spinal cord • Mechanism of injury – blow to the head or a fall • Symptoms – dizziness nausea confusion headache disorientation blurred vision

16. Grades of Concussions Grades of Concussions Grade 1: 1. Confusion 2. No loss of consciousness 3. Symptoms on examination resolve in less than 15 minutes Grade 2: 1. Confusion 2. No loss of consciousness 3. Symptoms on examination last more than 15 minutes Grade 3: 1. Any loss of consciousness • Brief (seconds) • Prolonged (minutes

17. Concussion: Return to Play • Return Only After Being Asymptomatic with Normal Neurologic Assessment at Rest and with Exercise • Grade 1 -- at least 15 minutes • Grade 2 -- 1 week • Grade 3 -- Brief Loss of Consciousness (seconds) or (minutes) -- at least 1 month Regardless of severity, must be cleared by a doctor

18. Anatomy of the Ear

19. Injuries to the Ear • Cauliflower Ear (Hematoma Auris) • most common injury of the ear • caused by extreme friction or repeated trauma • symptoms: bleeding and fluid accumulation around the ear • immediate treatment: ice, compression, bandage, physician

21. Injuries to the Ear • Swimmer’s Ear (Otitis Externa) • infection of ear canal • caused by trapped moisture • symptoms: dizziness, pain, itching, discharge • immediate treatment: send to physician • prevention: use ear drops of 3% boric acid and alcohol solution and keep ears dry

22. Injuries to the Ear • Tympanic Membrane (eardrum) Rupture • caused by sudden change in pressure or objects inserted too far • symptoms: loud pop, pain, hearing loss, nausea and vomiting • treatment: send to physician immediately

24. Anatomy of the Eye

25. Injuries to the Eye • Contusions (black eyes) • caused by blow to eye area • ice immediately • send to physician if bleeding, severe bruising, or double vision

27. Injuries to the Eyes • Corneal Abrasions or Laceration • scratch on corneal surface of eye • caused by dirt, sand, insects, or contact with another athlete’s finger • symptoms: pain and watering of the eye • treatment: do not allow to rub eye, patch eye, send to physician

28. Corneal Abrasion

29. Injuries to the Eye • Retinal Detachment • caused by blow to eye • separation of retina from underlying epithelial tissue • symptoms: painless, flashes of light, blurred vision, “curtain” or something covering field of vision • treatment: patch eye and send to physician

31. Injuries to the Eye • Fractures – orbital roof & blow out • caused by direct blow to the eye • symptoms: swelling, bleeding & double vision • treatment: control bleeding, patch with sterile gauze, physician

32. Orbital Fracture

33. Injuries to the Eye • Conjunctivitis (pink eye) • highly contagious • symptoms: burning, itching, swollen eyelids, and discharge • treatment: wear gloves and wash hands after examining the athlete, send to physician

34. Conjuctivitis

35. Conjuctivitis

36. Injuries to the Eyes • Sty • infection of the eyelid follicle or subcutaneous gland • symptoms: pain, redness, & swelling • treatment: apply moist heat and physician

37. Sty

38. Anatomy of the Nose

39. Injuries to the Nose • Epistaxis (nosebleeds) • cause: direct blow • treatment: • control bleeding with direct pressure • athlete sit upright, lean forward, pinch nose • can use noseplugs • ice if swelling is present • do not blow nose once bleeding has stopped

41. Injuries to the Nose • Nasal Deviation and Fractures • cause: direct blow • symptoms: deformity, pain, swelling, bleeding • treatment: stop bleeding, send to physician

42. Nasal Fractures

44. Injuries to the Mouth and Jaw • Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Dislocation • cause: side blow to an open mouth • symptoms: • locked jaw in open position • overbite in a normal bite • deformity • treatment: ice, physician, do not attempt to reduce

45. Normal Dislocated

46. Injuries to the Mouth and Jaw • Jaw Fractures • cause: direct blow • symptoms: abnormal movement, loss of normal bite, pain, point tenderness • treatment: ice, immobilize, send to physician

48. Injuries to Mouth and Jaw • Dislocation of teeth • cause: blow to mouth • symptoms: • bleeding around gums • loose, displaced or missing teeth • treatment: • Knocked out: find tooth, wash it, put back in place and send to dentist • If can’t put back in place, wrap it in moist, sterile gauze and send with athlete to dentist

49. Anatomy of the Spine • Composed of 33 vertebrae • 7 cervical • 12 thoracic • 5 lumbar • 5 sacral (fused together to make 1) • 5 coccyx (fused together to make 1) • vertebrae separated by cartilaginous discs