What can you expect from a skull fracture?

If you suffered a skull fracture due to an accident, you may have catastrophic medical bills. According to Healthline, skull fractures include any break to the cranial bone.

When it comes to skull fractures, there are a variety of types and symptoms to alert you to the possibility.

Symptoms of skull fractures

Skull fractures may not be obvious immediately. If you experience severe pain and swelling at the trauma site or redness and warmth, it may be an indication that the bone fractured in the accident. Other symptoms include:

• Bleeding from the wound site
• Bleeding around the eyes, ears or nose
• Bruising around the wound
• Bruising under the eyes or behind the ears

Some symptoms may not be as obvious as the above signs. Milder symptoms may include a headache, irritability, stiff neck, blurred vision, nausea, confusion and excessive drowsiness.

Types of skull fractures

The force of the blow and the shape of the object determines the type of skull fracture. The following are the most common types of skull fracture:

• Closed fractures: This is also called a simple fracture. Your skin remains over the fractured bone.
• Depressed fractures: You will most likely see a depressed fracture. Depressed fractures cause an indent to extend to the brain cavity.
• Basal fractures: The fracture occurs in the floor of the skull and around the eyes, nose, ears or top of the neck.
• Open fractures: In an open fracture, or compound fracture, the bone emerges through the skin.

A physician may also classify fractures as linear or commuted. Commuted fractures have three or more sections to the break.

If you have a skull fracture. physicians determine the type of break before treatment. Some breaks heal on their own, whereas others may require surgical intervention.