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Head Injury, Swelling, Ear Pain, Sore Jaw. Medical Attention Required?
Last night I got hit in the head above my left ear... it hurt really bad when it happened and it seemed swollen last night. My teeth and inner ear hurt immediately and it was later followed by a very sore jaw. It hurt to open my mouth and to chew. Today the area is very tender and is still swollen. It still hurts to open my jaw and my ear feels tight and sore. Should I be concerned enough to seek treatment? Are there signs I should watch for?
Wed, 30 Jan 2013
Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your query.
The temporal area (i.e. the area on the sides of the head above the ears) is a relatively delicate area and injuries there have to be taken seriously. Moreover, severe pain and swelling may indicate a fracture or a significant internal injury. So, it is better to seek medical attention to have a thorough physical examination, and if necessary, a CT scan.
The danger signs which you should watch for are severe, persistent headache, vomiting, bleeding from the ear or nose, confusion, slurring of speech and weakness or paralysis of any part of the body.
Wish you all the best.
Regards,
Dr. Sheeba Stephen
Emergency Medicine Specialist
The temporal area (i.e. the area on the sides of the head above the ears) is a relatively delicate area and injuries there have to be taken seriously. Moreover, severe pain and swelling may indicate a fracture or a significant internal injury. So, it is better to seek medical attention to have a thorough physical examination, and if necessary, a CT scan.
The danger signs which you should watch for are severe, persistent headache, vomiting, bleeding from the ear or nose, confusion, slurring of speech and weakness or paralysis of any part of the body.
Wish you all the best.
Regards,
Dr. Sheeba Stephen
Emergency Medicine Specialist
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Dear friend, welcome and thanks for entrusting your query here at HCM!
I am Dr. Prasad Akole (Critical Care Expert- http://bit.ly/Dr-Prasad-Akole) and am glad to address to your query here.
The pain and swelling can very well be just due to hard blunt trauma to the bones.
You can try simple pain killers like paracetamol or NSAIDs at home and rest.
Less likely there could be a fracture.
Watch for increasing swelling, clear fluid coming out of the ear, severe pain despite pain killers, headache, bleed etc.
If any of these occurs, see your doctor.
I hope you are fully satisfied with the guidance I gave.
I would be glad to answer any further queries. May I request you to rate your experience here before you close.
Thank you and Good luck!
I am Dr. Prasad Akole (Critical Care Expert- http://bit.ly/Dr-Prasad-Akole) and am glad to address to your query here.
The pain and swelling can very well be just due to hard blunt trauma to the bones.
You can try simple pain killers like paracetamol or NSAIDs at home and rest.
Less likely there could be a fracture.
Watch for increasing swelling, clear fluid coming out of the ear, severe pain despite pain killers, headache, bleed etc.
If any of these occurs, see your doctor.
I hope you are fully satisfied with the guidance I gave.
I would be glad to answer any further queries. May I request you to rate your experience here before you close.
Thank you and Good luck!
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2 Doctors agree with this answer
Hi,
I think you should meet your primary care physician for a proper evaluation and just to be sure there is nothing wrong. It shall be desirable to get to know whether there was any lesion at the level of your jaw and other facial joints. Its usually easier to correct when detected early enough.
You just to watch out for any clear liquid that you might notice from your ears or nostrils for this could suggest breakage in the anterior cranial floor, any disturbing headaches, blurred or other visual troubles or any bleeding.
Prefer you meet a primary care physician to clear out any of these doubts.
Wishing you a fast recovery,
Luchuo, MD.
I think you should meet your primary care physician for a proper evaluation and just to be sure there is nothing wrong. It shall be desirable to get to know whether there was any lesion at the level of your jaw and other facial joints. Its usually easier to correct when detected early enough.
You just to watch out for any clear liquid that you might notice from your ears or nostrils for this could suggest breakage in the anterior cranial floor, any disturbing headaches, blurred or other visual troubles or any bleeding.
Prefer you meet a primary care physician to clear out any of these doubts.
Wishing you a fast recovery,
Luchuo, MD.
I find this answer helpful
2 Doctors agree with this answer
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