24M - Persistent pain and occasional clear fluid/blood from scalp at site of head injury 10 years ago
Posting on behalf of my cousin (24M). Looking for opinions before he sees a doctor.
About 10 years ago, when he was around 14, he accidentally hit the top of his head on the iron rail of a photo frame during a drawing class. He stood up without noticing the rail above him, and the impact was on the top of his head (possibly around the parietal region, based on what I found online).
At the time, he did not have any obvious concussion symptoms—no vomiting, loss of consciousness, seizures, fainting, or anything similar. He continued to do decently well academically (around a 9 CGPA in 10th grade and above-average performance in engineering entrance exams). He is now working as a software engineer.
Current symptoms:
He still feels discomfort at the exact spot where he hit his head.
He describes it as pressure, pain, or a sensation of swelling. Sometimes it feels like there's a scratch or an unhealed wound in that area.
If he scratches or picks at the spot with his fingernails, he sometimes notices a clear watery fluid or a small amount of blood on his nails.
In high-stress situations, such as being asked to speak unexpectedly during office meetings, he sometimes zones out.He finds it difficult to focus, follow conversations, or process what people are saying.
Outside of stressful situations, his thinking seems normal. He has no issues with coding, problem-solving, or day-to-day work.
Could this be something relatively harmless like a chronic scalp lesion, scar tissue, or a skin condition that's unrelated to the old injury? Or could it indicate something more serious that warrants evaluation by a neurologist or another specialist?
Also it would be helpful if you could suggest OTC creams or home remedies if any. Thanks!