Blow to the back of head (occipital ridge) and neck c1 and c2

[hfox1203]

I was at the gym last night and was attempting to squat with a 45 lb bar.  I squatted down but could not go up and didn't have a spotter.  I lost my balance in the squat position and fell backwards on my butt.  The bar hit the back of my head where c1 and c2 was at the occipital ridge towards my left side and then grazed over to my top right.  I went to the doctor that night at an urgent care center and asked me a few questions and palpated and checked my eyes and ears for bleeding.  He told me I have a contusion (bruise).  I did not even get an x-ray.  I am currently a student in massage and understand that head injuries whether they are minor or not should be treated as serious just to rule out anything.  I didn't have typical symptoms like nausea or dizziness or blackouts.  Just tenderness in the spots hit.  Should I be concerned?  I still don't have symptoms, maybe a headache very intermittently but nothing to be alarming about.

[hfox1203]

Thank you.  I did get better after a week, the tenderness is gone.  I did rest and ice it and pain meds for it.  I think that helped my recovery.  I don't have any other symptoms.

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

Well, without a detailed clinical evaluation it would be difficult to comment specifically on the situation. It is true that all head injuries should be treated seriously; though is this was well evaluated by a doctor who was of the opinion that this is likely to be a contusion and x-rays were not necessary, he/ she is likely to be correct. I would suggest resting the neck for a few days and avoiding extreme movements. The use of a neck corner may be beneficial. If the symptoms do not seem better in 2-3 weeks, you may consider a review with a primary care physician or an orthopedician for a detailed evaluation.
Hope this is helpful.

Take care!