The position of the head also plays a role, because the skull is not equally strong throughout: The frontal bone is the strongest part of the skull, while the weakest bones are found in the temporal region. The skull can break from a pressure of 2–6 kp (20–60 N) per square millimetre – if it is on a fixed subsurface.
“The most dangerous place to hit your head is on either side of your head, just above your ears. The skull is thinnest there, and there's an artery that can burst and cause direct bleeding in the brain.”
The temple is the most vulnerable part of the skull as the bone is thinnest there and close to a blood vessel, so rarely this can be fractured and can cause a bleed. What is the “best” part of the head to hit? The front of the head is best protected.
Frontal lobe
It is directly behind the forehead, which makes it the most vulnerable region for a traumatic brain injury.
Conclusion: The thickest area of the skull is the parasagittal posterior parietal area in male skulls and the posterior parietal area midway between the sagittal and superior temporal line in female skulls.
The pterion is known as the weakest part of the skull. The anterior division of the middle meningeal artery runs underneath the pterion. Consequently, a traumatic blow to the pterion may rupture the middle meningeal artery causing an epidural haematoma.
[18] The 'danger area of the scalp' refers to the layer of loose areolar connective tissue as it contains the valveless emissary veins that connect the superficial veins in the subaponeurotic space with the intracranial venous sinuses. This connection allows an infection to spread from the scalp to the meninges.
The skull's resistance depends on the momentum, the period of force applied and the angle of impact. The position of the head also plays a role, because the skull is not equally strong throughout: The frontal bone is the strongest part of the skull, while the weakest bones are found in the temporal region.
For a moderate to severe head injury, call 911 or the local emergency number right away. Get medical help right away if the person: Becomes very sleepy. Behaves abnormally, or has speech that does not make sense.
The back of your skull is hard and smooth, so when your brain hits it, “maybe you'll see stars, but you're not going to damage anything,” Knight says. But when your brain bounces forward into the front of your skull, things start to get serious.
Anytime you strike your head, you could develop a dangerous brain injury. If you have signs of one or are concerned you may have had a traumatic brain injury, it is important to watch for symptoms and seek medical attention at the emergency department or by calling 911.
The temples located on the two sides of your head. At this position, the skull is thinner than the rest making the area more vulnerable. Under the skull in the same region, run arteries which provide the brain in blood. A severe hit can lead to excessive pressure on the brain and oxygen deprivation.
Linear fracture: This is the most common type of skull fracture. It usually happens in the bone toward the top of your head, above your ears. Depressed fracture: A break in your skull that pushes part of the bone closer to your brain.
Most people need at least a few days of little or no activity. But everyone's needs are different, and everyone's brains heal at different rates. Your provider will recommend how long to rest, and when it's safe to slowly resume physical or mentally challenging activities.
Of the four main sections of the cerebral cortex, the frontal lobe tends to be affected most frequently by traumatic brain injury.
Serious head or facial bleeding. Bleeding or fluid leakage from the nose or ears. Change in consciousness for longer than a few seconds. Not breathing.
However, the advice here is not to use ice packs or ice at all but to monitor and reassure a child with a minor bumped head. There is a real risk that applying an ice pack to a more unknown significant head injury, will mask and delay more urgent treatment.
At the intersection of four bones is the pterion, a small, capital-H-shaped suture line region that unites the frontal bone, parietal bone, squamous portion of the temporal bone, and greater wing of the sphenoid bone. It is the weakest part of the skull.
Head Injuries and Your Brain
Your brain is well protected from most damage. It sits inside a hard, bony skull. Layers of membranes and fluid provide extra padding. But even with all this natural protection, injuries still happen.
Pain-sensitive structures in the head and neck, including the scalp, periosteum, meninges, and blood vessels, are innervated predominantly by the trigeminal and upper cervical nerves.
In the context of both angular acceleration and MPS95, the lower mandible was the most vulnerable location on the skull. In fact, this region is a prime target in combat sports such as mixed martial arts or boxing.
Rubbing your scalp may help release tension. Massage may also trigger the release of feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin.
It is bounded at the top by the skull base, at the front by the alar fascia and behind by the prevertebral fascia. It comes to an end at the level of the diaphragm. The retropharyngeal space is found anterior to the danger space, between the alar fascia and buccopharyngeal fascia.