Occasionally you may see a dent in the head of a random stranger or relative and wonder it means. What is causing the dent? Why did it happen Suddenly? What can be done about it?
All these are likely questions that might be going through your mind. If that be the case, welcome! This article talks about what a dent in the head means, its causes, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment.
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Dent in the head explained
Dents and defects in the shape of your head are usually simple variants in anatomy. Everyone has differences in bone structure. This is glaring in the different faces of individuals we see every day.
However, there are some cases where a new bump or dent in the skull can signify a severe medical condition. An unexplainable dent or bump in the head is the form of symptom that should be examined by the doctor, particularly if the shape of your skull begins to change unexpectedly.
Causes of a dent in the head
A dent in the head (also known as a depression of the skull) may signify several medical conditions. It may also be due to genetics or injury. Below are some of the causes of a dent in the head.
Trauma
Auto accidents, falls, or severe head blows may cause what is known as a depressed skull fracture. Depressed fracture indicates that part of your head has been compressed in the direction of your brain.
This type of injury requires urgent medical attention. Every severe damage to the head should be examined by a doctor immediately.
Gorham’s disease
Gorham’s disease is an uncommon condition that causes the bone mass to be substituted by other tissues. Gorham’s disease may induce bone loss in your skull contributing to a noticeable dent in some instances.
Paget’s disease of bone
Paget’s disease disrupts your body’s ability to replace existing bone tissue with new healthy bone tissue. This disease may contribute to an overgrowth of bone in your brain, resulting in headaches and other symptoms. Often overgrowth may render your skull to look abnormal or dented.
Cancer
In some uncommon instances, case reports of skull depression have led doctors to discover cancer in a person. Such cases are rare, however, “bone-destructive” cancers (such as multiple myeloma) can lead to depression of the skull and abnormalities of the head.
Congenital skull indentation
Occasionally babies are born with a skull indentation. Such indentations may be caused during the process of birth or by the positioning of the baby in the womb.
If the bones in the skull of a baby fuse prematurely, the head of the baby may look dented or abnormal, a condition called ‘craniosynostosis’.
Craniosynostosis may occur on its own, or it may be caused by genetic syndromes, such as Apert syndrome and Pfeiffer syndrome.
Diagnosis for a dent in the head
If you are worried about a dent in your head, see a doctor to examine the structure of your skull. The doctor may also ask questions about your family history and other problems you may have.
Sometimes nothing more than a detailed background and physical examination is required, but further research may be suggested by your doctor to determine what induces your skull depression. Such assessments might include: PET scan, CT scan, X-ray, MRI scan, Bone scan
Treatment options for a dent in the head
Based on the underlying cause, the treatments for a dent in your head varies widely.
Treatment for depressed skull fractures
Depressed fractures of the skull often need surgery. Such surgeries often lead to brain damages from bone fragments. To prevent this the bone fragments in the region of the brain are removed.
These kinds of fractures are also managed with antibiotics to avoid infection and pain relief medications
Treatment for bone diseases
If you have Paget’s bone disease, Gorham, or another uncommon bone disease that affects your bones, your doctor may recommend bisphosphonates medications that keep your body from absorbing your bone tissue.
Types of these bone disease medications include alendronate (Fosamax) and ibandronate (Boniva).
Many individuals may need bone grafts to fix the bone mass deficit in their skull surgically.
Treatment for babies with skull dents
When a baby is born with irregularity or abnormality like a dent in the head, the symptoms usually go on their own within six months.
Helmet therapy may be recommended in some cases. There are also instances where intervention is necessary to correct the structure of the head and to ensure that the brain of the baby has adequate room to develop as the baby grows.
Treatment for a cancerous tumour
In the highly unlikely scenario that the irregular shape of your head reveals a malignant tumour. Treatment for cancer will be required. Most of the time, chemotherapy or operation will be needed to remove the cancerous tumour.
The care you receive after recovery depends on what type of cancer you have and how severe the treatment needs to be.
Risk factors for developing a dent in the head
The underlying cause depends on the risk factors for developing dents in your skull. It’s hard to nail down who would be more “at-risk” to develop head dent as a sign or disease.
Multiple evidence suggests that men are at a higher risk for developing the disease of Gorham than women.
In some of the syndromes that can induce skull depression throughout newborns, genetics may play a role, but there is often no genetic cause. For example, in Apert syndrome, a parent may pass on the disease gene to their infant, or the child may spontaneously acquire it while in utero.
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In conclusion
While it is normal for the form of human skulls to differ, a new Irregularity or dent in your skull may sometimes signify a serious health condition. Cancer, trauma, bone disease, and other diseases may create dents in your head.
You can arrange an appointment with your doctor should you notice a change in the form of your head. Notice any other signs that might be consistent with a dent in your head, such as anxiety, memory loss, and visual problems.
FAQs
What is a dent in the head?
A dent in the head is a depression in the skull of an individual.
What are the causes of a dent in the skull?
The causes of a dent in the skull varies; some of the causes are cancer, trauma, Gorham’s disease, Paget’s disease of bone etc.
What are the treatment options for a dent in the head?
The treatment option for a dent in the head depends on the underlying cause. For example, if the cause of a dent in the head is cancer, then a surgery is required to treat it.
