Head Trauma News and Research

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Head injury refers to trauma to the head. This may or may not include injury to the brain. However, the terms traumatic brain injury and head injury are often used interchangeably in the medical literature.

The use of anti-inflammatory drugs to treat severe head injuries is actually dangerous

The use of anti-inflammatory drugs to treat patients with severe head injuries—common practice worldwide for the past 30 years—is actually dangerous and associated with around a 20% increase in death within two weeks of hospital admission, conclude authors of an international study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET.

8 Oct 2004

Flight simulators can provide relief from the symptoms of chronic dizziness

Vision and motion simulators similar to those used by fighter pilots and astronauts can provide relief from the symptoms of chronic dizziness, researchers at Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust and Imperial College London report in the Journal of Neurology.

7 Oct 2004

Best approach for repairing breaks in bone separating brain from the nasal cavity is through the nasal cavity

The best approach for repairing breaks in the thin bone that separates the brain from the nasal cavity is through the nasal cavity, according to an analysis of 92 patients who had this increasingly common approach to treating a fortunately rare problem.

6 Oct 2004

Red Baron's severe head injury nine months earlier the casue of him being shot down

Since he was shot down and killed in 1918, much speculation has been made of who shot down the German World War I flying ace dubbed the Red Baron.

18 Sep 2004

Children’s playground injuries

Young school-aged children hurting themselves in playgrounds during summer is a leading cause of visits to hospital emergency rooms - second only to cycling mishaps - according to data released today by a national health organization.

11 Aug 2004

Schools need to be more aware of head injuries

New research from the University of Warwick examining return to school and classroom performance following head injury reveals that teachers are often unaware of the injury and that children only very rarely receive specialist help, despite having attention and memory problems.

5 Aug 2004

New insights into a mysterious type of amnesia

Researchers have new insights into a mysterious type of amnesia, according to a study published in the June 22 issue of Neurology

21 Jun 2004

Cooling method to treat brain aneurysms

Patients who undergo brain surgery to treat aneurysms are at risk for permanent brain damage, but a protective cooling system is now being tested at Rush University Medical Center to reduce or eliminate this risk.

21 Jun 2004

Debate on UK legislation to make helmets mandatory for all cyclists

There are strong reasons for promoting the use of pedal cycles in Britain, including that it is ‘beneficial to health’ and is one of the most ‘ecologically friendly’ modes of transport.

2 Jun 2004

Research reveals that children with mild head injury may be at risk of long-term complications

New research from the University of Warwick reveals that children with even mild head injury may be at risk of long-term complications, including personality changes, emotional, behavioural and learning problems.

21 May 2004

Some amnesiacs can maintain their memories for a longer period of time if they spend time sitting in a dark, quiet room

Amnesia sufferers can lose their short-term memories within one minute of the initial thought. While such things as head injuries and strokes are known to cause amnesia, very little is known about why such severe memory loss occurs. However, a University of Missouri-Columbia researcher has discovered that some amnesiacs can maintain their memories for a longer period of time if they spend time sitting in a dark, quiet room.

17 May 2004

Body repositioning is highly effective in resolving dizziness

Dizziness is one of the most common medical complaints affecting older adults, with 10-20 percent of such complaints resulting from Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). Many research studies have stated that without medical treatment, some 30 percent of BPPV patients will recover on their own. Now, a new evidence-based review has found that a single ten minute in-office treatment, based on a series of head and body turns, is highly effective in resolving this disorder, with an overall effectiveness of 70-80 percent.

29 Apr 2004

Australian symposium on stroke and head injury

A condition which leaves some stroke and head injury victims unable to see half their world will be the subject of a one-day symposium being hosted by Southern Cross University (SCU) this week.

10 Apr 2004