Get your health question answered instantly from our pool of 18000+ doctors from over 80 specialties
159 Doctors Online

By proceeding, I accept the Terms and Conditions

Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

HCM Blog Instant Access to Doctors
HCM BlogQuestions Answered
HCM Blog Satisfaction

Hit Head, Have Painful Knot Above Ear, Nauseous. What Should I Do?

I just fell in my kitchen and hit my head on the door frame. I have a knot above my right ear just to the right of my temple. It hurts really bad and it also hurts when I open my mouth. I am slightly nauseous, but that may just be because I am panicking. What should I do?
Wed, 22 Jan 2014
Report Abuse
General & Family Physician,  's  Response
Hi,
The place where you hit your head is a common site for brain hemorrhage due to external trauma. Head injuries can range from just a bump on the head to bleeds inside the skull which compresses the brain. Since skull is a closed and rigid cavity with no extra space the blood collection starts creating pressure on the brain. This increase in pressure can manifest anywhere between 4-24 hours after trauma. Usual symptoms are headaches, vomiting, blurring vision, incoherent speech change in levels of consciousness. Overall it is a dangerous situation.
However often patients after suffering head trauma experience nausea like you are due to anxiety. But I would urge you to get yourself checked and if an inkling of doubt please go for a CT scan. A word of caution...CT scans can also fail to catch bleeds too early as the bleeding might be very slow in blunt traumas and take time to collect and show up on the film. I hope you have a superficial contussion and nothing major. Please take care.
I find this answer helpful

 1 user finds this helpful
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Disclaimer: These answers are for your information only and not intended to replace your relationship with your treating physician.
This is a short, free answer. For a more detailed, immediate answer, try our premium service [Sample answer]
Share on
 

Related questions you may be interested in


Loading Online Doctors....
Hit Head, Have Painful Knot Above Ear, Nauseous. What Should I Do?

Hi, The place where you hit your head is a common site for brain hemorrhage due to external trauma. Head injuries can range from just a bump on the head to bleeds inside the skull which compresses the brain. Since skull is a closed and rigid cavity with no extra space the blood collection starts creating pressure on the brain. This increase in pressure can manifest anywhere between 4-24 hours after trauma. Usual symptoms are headaches, vomiting, blurring vision, incoherent speech change in levels of consciousness. Overall it is a dangerous situation. However often patients after suffering head trauma experience nausea like you are due to anxiety. But I would urge you to get yourself checked and if an inkling of doubt please go for a CT scan. A word of caution...CT scans can also fail to catch bleeds too early as the bleeding might be very slow in blunt traumas and take time to collect and show up on the film. I hope you have a superficial contussion and nothing major. Please take care.