What are the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury?

When Pennsylvania residents suffer serious injuries, they often know it right from the moment the injury is suffered. This is not always the case, however, as there can be injuries that are not immediately apparent.

For example, as discussed last week in this blog, there has been an effort recently to increase awareness about concussions and other kinds of brain injuries. An individual who suffers a brain injury might not immediately recognize the symptoms of the injury, which could lead to even more serious brain damage if the condition is not properly treated.

Part of the difficulty is that the symptoms of TBI are very wide ranging. In addition, some signs might not even appear until days or weeks after the event that caused the injury.

Generally, for a mild traumatic brain injury, a person might experience a brief loss of consciousness, disorientation, headache, nausea, fatigue, dizziness and issues with their sleep. This physical symptoms may be accompanied by sensory symptoms like blurred vision or ringing in the ears, as well as cognitive problems like memory issues or mood changes.

A moderate to severe brain injury can include many of the same symptoms as a mild injury, which can make it difficult to determine how serious the injury may be for any given person. There might also be additional symptoms, like prolonged loss of consciousness, persistent headaches, repeated vomiting, seizures, numbness and loss of coordination. The cognitive problems can also be worse, including slurred speech, confusion or even a coma.

Ultimately, a person who may have experienced a traumatic brain injury, such as after a car accident, should get help immediately. By recognizing the symptoms, individuals can obtain the treatment they need in order to protect their health in the best manner possible.

Source: Mayo Clinic, “Traumatic brain injury,” accessed on Nov. 26, 2016