HomeAnswersNeurosurgeryhematomaHow long does it take for a subgaleal hematoma to resolve?

How to prevent a red and inflamed scalp due to a head injury from getting infected?

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The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Sneha Kannan

Published At September 4, 2020
Reviewed AtJune 29, 2023

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

My son is one year eight months old with a weight of 28.66 lbs. Seventeen days back, he fell down accidentally from the height of 4.5 feet and got an injury on the right side of the head. He did not have any symptoms after the injury. I consulted a doctor and he told me that there is a presence of scalp swelling in the injured area by doing an ultrasound. The doctor prescribed tablet Enractine for five days and tablet Cetil 125mg/5ml for six days. But still, his scalp swelling has not resolved. Kindly help. Please suggest some medicine that resolves the swelling of my child.

Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com.

Scalp swelling occurs due to clotted blood known as a hematoma. Slowly, it gets liquified and absorbed. If the overlying skin is intact without breach, then there is no cause for concern. There is no medication that helps in resolving it. Applying hot water fermentation help to a certain extent.

Patient's Query

Thank you doctor,

Does applying hot water or cold water fermentation help? My previous doctor advised us to apply cold water. How to control scalp swelling? How to avoid having infection in the internal injured area? Any medicine help in this condition? As 17 days have passed away, still the affected area has heavy swelling. My doctor prescribed tablet Entractine for five days and tablet Cetil 125/5 ml for six days. But my son has finished taking it. Kindly suggest some drugs to resolve the swelling and infection.

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

Hot water causes a localized increase in blood supply. It helps in the early absorption of liquified blood. Time taken for resolution depends on the exact size of the collection. It is not advisable to take antibiotics. It is advisable if you send a picture of it. When the overlying skin is intact, there is an unlikely chance to have an infection.

Patient's Query

Thank you doctor,

I am sending a picture of the injured area. The infected area is seen externally with swelling. I am also sending the ultrasound reports. It shows evidence of a small subgaleal hematoma in the right parieto-occipital region. There is no obvious underlying bony defect seen.

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

After going through the sent image, (attachment removed to protect patient identity) there is no evidence of inflammation or infection. The boggy area occurs due to subgaleal hematoma. It takes around four weeks to get resolved. The only thing you need to check is the development of redness in the overlying skin. Your son needs clinical assessment every week by the same physician till it regresses.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Deepak Kishore Kaltari
Dr. Deepak Kishore Kaltari

Pediatrics

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