Bob Saget died from head trauma according to family: What to do if you hit your head

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Bob Saget's cause of death has been determined one month after the comedian was found dead in his Orlando hotel.

On Wednesday, Saget's family released a statement saying authorities have ruled that the 65-year-old "accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep. No drugs or alcohol were involved.”

An autopsy report has not been released, however TMZ reported that Saget was found with an "obvious bruise on the back of his head."

While Saget's cause of death has been referred to as a "brain bleed" by several news outlets, his passing is a reminder of how quickly seemingly minor head injuries can turn into serious medical emergencies.

Although every brain injury is different, it's possible that a person can seem fine after hitting their head before their condition rapidly declines with damage that can unfortunately be irreversible.

What types of head injuries are there, and why are they dangerous?

"When you hit your head, you could have bleeding in different ways," CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, said in an interview with People. "An epidural hematoma is a type of brain injury. You can also have a subdural hematoma, another possibility as well."

Blood clots in or around the brain are called intracranial hematomas — which can be broken down into categories depending on their location on the brain. According to Cedars Sinai, epidural hematomas are commonly associated with skull fracture and occur when a blood clot forms on top of the dura, the outermost protective layer of the brain. Subdural hematomas are located underneath the dura but on top of the brain.

Wen explained that these types of hematomas are common and occur "when veins are ripped from a head injury, that causes pooled blood to put pressure on the brain."

In 2009, actress Natasha Richardson's death from an epidural hematoma after falling during a skiing trip to Mont Tremblant in Quebec prompted medical experts to speak publicly about how even the most serious brain injuries can initially appear minor.

Richardson reportedly declined medical attention several times after her initial injury before complaining of a headache and "showing signs of confusion" hours later. The 45-year-old Tony award-winning actress's condition began to deteriorate rapidly before she was eventually put on life support. Richardson's husband, Liam Neeson, relocated the actress to New York City where family and friends said their goodbyes before her death.

"A patient can appear so deceivingly normal at first," Dr. Carmelo Graffagnino, director of Duke University Medical Center’s Neurosciences Critical Care unit told CNN in 2009. "But they actually have a brain bleed and as the pressure builds up, they'll experience classic symptoms of a traumatic brain injury."

According to Graffagnino, a person can feel fine for "several days" before experiencing any symptoms.

What are symptoms of a head injury?

Head injury symptoms vary in severity, however if you've hit your head, you should seek medical attention to rule out anything serious— especially if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Lose and regain consciousness

• Headache that won't go away

• Dilated pupils

• Confusion or issues with memory

• Dizziness or imbalance

• Nausea or vomiting

• Blood or clear fluid coming from the ears or nose

• Fatigue

• Impaired vision

• Slurred speech

• Open head wound

• Sweating

• Weakness

If you hit your head "substantially" and begin to worry, Wen suggests seeking medical attention or at the very least, letting someone know.

"Call your doctor if you're particularly worried, but you should at least tell someone, and don't be alone," Wen told People. "That way, somebody can help to monitor you and make sure that you're OK."

Who is at risk for complications from a head injury?

Although anyone can experience a severe head injury, there are certain risk factors that can increase your chances of developing a brain bleed.

"Patients who are on blood thinners or antiplatelet medication — any type of blood thinner — are high-risk patients who really need to be pretty vigilant any time they hit their head, and really seek medical attention," Dr. Joshua Marcus, MD, Neurosurgery, Nuvance Health said in an interview with People. We're more aggressive with getting CAT scans for those patients than we would be for younger patients, which is where it's more rare to have catastrophic [head injuries]."

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