Doctors On Bob Saget’s Death: If You Hit Your Head, Do This Immediately To Save Your Life

The entire world was shocked when famous funnyman Bob Saget died in January 2022 at the age of 65. By all accounts, he was full of life and energy when he checked into his Orlando hotel room on Jan. 7 while touring his standup routine. Two days later, he was found dead in his hotel bed.

His death was so sudden and so shocking that many wondered if it could be a drug overdose or even foul play. However, after an autopsy, the coroner revealed that Bob Saget tragically died of an accidental head injury.

“The authorities have determined that Bob passed from head trauma,” Saget’s family said in a statement to NBC News. “They have concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep. No drugs or alcohol were involved.”

Many of us probably grew up with parents warning us not to go to sleep after hitting our head, lest we fail to wake up. But seeing a beloved celebrity actually die from such an incident is a shocking revelation that such warnings are not just old wives’ tales. So, how do you know when a head injury is serious enough to seek treatment?

In this article, we’re going to dive into the following topics:

• How to tell if a head injury is serious
• When do head injuries caused internal bleeding?
• What you should do immediately when you hit your head to save your life

But first of all, how did Bob Saget hit his head? This information has been revealed in new details that have emerged on Bob Saget’s final hours.

New details on Bob Saget’s final hours

Bob Saget’s unexpected death led to a full investigation into his final hours. And this investigation revealed more than a few surprises.

According to People, Saget returned to his room at the Ritz-Carlton around 2:17 a.m. on Jan. 9, about two hours before his estimated time of death. Surveillance shows he was not worried or distressed when he entered the room, meaning his head injury had not happened yet and must have occurred in his hotel room.

Police investigated different areas of the room where he might have hit his head. They determined that he fell backward in the bathroom, hitting the back of his head on the hard marble floor. Their findings indicate that the initial blow knocked Saget out, but he awoke later and managed to make it to his bed. There, he lost consciousness and died at approximately 4 a.m.

Bob Saget’s fall fractured his skull in several spots, causing bleeding across both sides of his brain. Since it’s unlikely someone would ignore such a traumatic injury, some experts believe Saget was simply confused when he fell asleep rather than making a conscious decision to ignore his injury (via WebMD).

But plenty of people suffer head injuries and don’t seem to realize the extent of the damage right away. If you hit your head seriously, always play it safe and go to the emergency room or call a doctor.

RELATED: Bob Saget’s Wife Confirmed What We Suspected All Along

How to tell if a head injury is serious

When we learned the details of Saget’s death, most of us flashed back to all the times we’ve hit our heads before and were fine. That brings us to a major question: how can you tell if a hit to the head is serious or not?

Signs of a serious head injury include:

• Persistent headache
• Persistent pain
• Worsening pain
• Visual disturbances, such as blurred vision, double vision, or decreased peripheral vision
• Pupils that look a “little off”
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Dr. John Torres, NBC’s senior medical correspondent, says that people with the above symptoms should be closely monitored. “They’re probably going to need a CAT scan of their head to make sure there isn’t any bleeding inside there,” he told TODAY, “because there can be subtle signs that build up over time and get to the point where they can’t really be taken care of.”

Remember, even if there are no signs of a skull fracture or bleeding, you may still have a concussion, a traumatic brain injury that affects your cognition. That’s why it’s important to seek medical help in the event of a head injury immediately.

When do head injuries cause internal bleeding?

When are symptoms of a serious head injury likely to appear? Things like headaches and confusion are likelier to show up sooner rather than later. And they may go away relatively quickly. The dangerous thing is assuming that once these symptoms go away that you are safe.

CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen, told PEOPLE (via AOL) why it’s so important to remain vigilant after a head injury.

“When you hit your head, you could have bleeding in different ways,” says Wen. “An epidural hematoma is a type of brain injury. You can also have a subdural hematoma, another possibility as well.”

“A subdural hematoma is a very common hematoma. Both of these are when veins are ripped from a head injury, that causes pooled blood to put pressure on the brain.”

That’s why if you hit your head and experience any of the symptoms outlined above, it’s important to seek medical help immediately!

What you should do immediately when you hit your head to save your life

All of us have hit our heads at some time or another. And if you’re clumsy, this may even be a frequent occurrence. With that in mind, we have to ask: can just any bump to the head lead to serious and even fatal head trauma?

Fortunately, the short answer to this question is “no.” Simply banging your head on a kitchen cabinet while putting up dishes or on your closet door while changing is not likely to lead to a major head injury. When Bob Saget fell down in the bathroom, it was the hard blow to his head from hitting a marble floor that led to the fatal injury. Most who suffer serious or fatal head trauma have experienced a similar fall. But as always, it’s better to be too cautious rather than not cautious enough.

So, what do doctors say is the one thing you should do immediately in the event of a head injury to save your life?

“If you have a substantial head injury, tell someone,” Dr. Wen says. “Call your doctor if you’re particularly worried, but you should at least tell someone, and don’t be alone. That way, somebody can help to monitor you and make sure that you’re OK.”