A “goose egg,” medically known as a subcutaneous hematoma, is a common reaction to a blunt force injury to the head, often causing alarm due to its rapid appearance and size. This swelling results from blood vessels in the scalp breaking beneath the skin without the skin itself being broken. While these lumps are usually minor, they signal an accumulation of pooled blood and fluid that the body must absorb.
Understanding the Goose Egg: Cause and Immediate Care
When the head sustains a blow, the underlying blood vessels rupture, releasing blood into the soft tissue layers of the scalp, creating a hematoma. The hard bone of the skull prevents this pooled blood from expanding inward, forcing the swelling outward into a firm, dome-shaped lump. The scalp is richly supplied with blood vessels, meaning even a minor injury can lead to a dramatic-looking lump.
Immediate care focuses on minimizing the amount of blood pooling and reducing inflammation. Applying a cold compress or ice pack wrapped in a cloth to the injury site immediately is the most effective first step. This application should be done for about 15 to 20 minutes at a time, followed by a break. Cold therapy constricts the local blood vessels, which slows down the internal bleeding and helps limit the overall size of the swelling during the first 24 to 48 hours.
The Healing Timeline: How Long Until It’s Gone
The resolution of a goose egg depends largely on its initial size and the individual’s healing capacity, but most minor hematomas resolve within one to two weeks. The body begins the process of absorption almost immediately, with the visible swelling often starting to decrease within a few hours to a couple of days. For larger lumps, the swelling and firmness may take up to four weeks to fully disappear.
As the body breaks down the trapped red blood cells, the lump undergoes characteristic color changes, mirroring the stages of a common bruise. The initial deep purple or red coloration transitions to shades of green and yellow as hemoglobin is metabolized into compounds like biliverdin and bilirubin. The lump may also soften and flatten out before the discoloration completely fades. Switching to a warm compress after the first 48 hours can help accelerate the absorption process by increasing blood flow to the area.
Critical Red Flags: When to Seek Medical Attention
While the goose egg itself is generally a benign external injury, the force that caused it could have resulted in a more serious underlying head trauma, such as a concussion or intracranial bleeding. Symptoms that worsen over time, or appear hours to days after the impact, require immediate medical evaluation.
Specific warning signs include any loss of consciousness, persistent or worsening headache despite pain relievers, or repeated episodes of vomiting. Other urgent red flags are confusion, slurred speech, difficulty walking or balancing, or seizures. Any clear fluid or blood draining from the ears or nose, unequal pupil size, or excessive drowsiness are also indicators for emergency care.