If you go to A&E with suspected concusion, do they "do" anything?

[LongPath]

Mum's had a fall. Fell backwards and banged the back of her head on the doorframe.

Lots of blood, but I don't think it's deep and it stopped within a few minutes.

She was definitely not herself though. She didn't lose consciousness, but she was woozy, belching and yawning loudly, otherwise quiet, for about 20 mins. Very much not how she would normally behave.

After that she seems back to her normal self. This happened 2 hours ago and she seems fine now.

Both mum and dad are determined not to go to A&E. They know what to look out for and Dad will monitor her, but she's fine.

If she did go and they confirmed concussion, would they do anything different?

She needs to be seen.

It might be much more serious than concussion, you don't mess about with a head injury.

She also needs to monitored closely for the next 48 hours by someone who is prepared to take her to A&E.

Slightest change, take her up there straightaway.

Yes they'd do neurological observations for 24 hours to check for any change in deficit so if she were to get sicker or develop bleeding (stroke) symptoms they could treat her quicker

A long time ago so things might have changed but when it happened to me I was admitted, can't remember if it was for 2 days or 3. They just did regular obs and kept an eye on me.

They'd keep her in for 24hours even if she seems fine?

They didn't do that with DS1 and he threw up all over the triage nurse, they just sent us home with a leaflet.

Is she on any medication? My DM needs to be checked after even slight knocks as her blood thinners make brain bleeds more likely

Similar has just happened to a friend who was admitted for 2 days for observations.

Is she on any medications, specifically any kind of blood thinners or anything that could make her more susceptible to internal bleeding/bruising?

Even if not they will be able to do neurological checks and potentially scans to check that it is 'just' a concussion.

A&E would be an appropriate response to a head injury..

@LongPath yes because she hit her head, she's bleeding and she had a change in behaviour

So was DS1, but they just told me what to look out for and sent us home.

I think her age is a factor too in how they'd treat it.

Tbh she ought to have gone to a&e when she was behaving oddly. Will your dad really take her if there's any change, because I'm surprised she didn't go then?

Just blood pressure meds

I had mild concussion during lockdown. They did a scan, CT scan maybe? And maybe took some blood? Also lots of observation, asking me questions, light shining in eyes. I was there for about 8 hours. They also insisting on wheeling me out to the car in a wheelchair and making sure someone was with my for the next 24, possibly 48 hours, I remember DH took time off work.

She should definitely get checked out!

While she was behaving oddly, DS1 called 111 for advice, but he was on hold so long, she'd stopped behaving oddly before he spoke to anyone.

A young guy I know (mid 20s) had a fall in a house, hit his head, blacked out for a lwhile, called 999 (as on his own), taken to hosp and monitored - just been signed off work for 2 weeks, maybe more.

As a child, around 6, DS spectacularly vomited several times, and briefly blacked out more than once.
They gave him a scan (CT, I think), and regular obs, including blood pressure and pupils. After 8 hrs, I think they reduced the frequency and we were discharged about 18 hrs after admission. School called the ambulance, and they blue lighted him in afterhe blacked out infront of them.

Yes, but she didn't black out or vomit

There are lots of things they may do and it's definitely worth taking her to be checked out. Her treatment very much depends on her observations and how she presents at triage - and you must mention the unusual behaviour even if it has stopped now, so please take her.

I'd take her, I was all ready to go at the time, but she's an adult, I can't make her.

Could get onto 111 again?

My husband hit his head and didn't think it was a big deal so didn't see a doctor for four days at which point they admitted him straight to A&E. He has had life changing ongoing symptoms for the last five years. Don't mess about with head injuries.

I knocked myself out in the garden and didn't get help as I felt fine - until the headache kicked in 24 hours later. They were horrified in A & E.
Took me nearly 3 years to recover from.

Can your Mum tell if she's got a brain bleed? No, so get to her to A & E. Some things are non negotiable, and head injuries are one of them.

DS had a mild concussion when he was 5. I took him in as he started vomiting and they observed him for a few hours but when he was still sleepy after 4 hours in A&E they gave him a CT scan.

This must depend on where you are in the country.

Elderly mother had a big fall a few weeks ago. HUGE bump on her head. Clearly not with it. Taken to A&E for other injuries. No interest in head injury at all. Was asked what year it was (which she got wrong) and to follow the Dr’s finger with her eyes (not sure how that test was supposed to prove anything … she is partially sighted).

We we’re told to take her home, phone back if she vomited more than three times, not to worry if she was unusually sleepy, but to set an alarm to shake her awake at 2am 🙄

Regardless of all of that, I still think best to take her OP.

FIL hit his head at work, nasty cut on his forehead. His partner persuaded him to go to A&E and they did a CT scan. He had a small bleed in his brain - & they also discovered a sizeable brain tumour. Thankfully it was a very slow growing type (meningioma), hadn't spread and was operable.
They think the bleed was caused by the head injury though, so I'd definitely suggest getting checked.

I had a mild concussion when I first met my husband, nearly thirty years ago now.