Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

Traumatic brain injury is one of the leading causes of disability and mortality in the United States. Here's all that you should know about brain injury.

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Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

The most common type of brain damage is traumatic brain injury (TBI). It impacts up to 1.7 million individuals each year and claims the lives of 52,000 people.

It is impossible to identify a TBI only based on symptoms or the intensity of the hit, no matter how serious the injury appears to be. If you or someone you love got hit in the head, seek medical help right once. It could save your life and help you avoid many long-term consequences of a brain injury. So, it's essential to look for Traumatic Brain Injury treatment and visit the right specialist.

Understanding TBI

A TBI is any injury to the brain that occurs suddenly. It occurs when the brain gets damaged by a bump, blow, jolt, or other force. It can result from a powerful or forceful blow to the head.

TBIs are classified as mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the injury. Mild versions of TBI generate just brief symptoms that fade away within a few days or weeks. With the most severe consequences, TBIs can result in lifelong brain damage, coma, or death.

Symptoms of TBI

Some traumatic brain injury symptoms1 appear right after the stressful incident, and other symptoms may not show up for days or weeks.

It's typical to feel dizzy, queasy, or have a headache after a minor injury. Other minor signs and symptoms include:

  • Ringing in your ears
  • Neck pain
  • Blurry vision
  • Confusion
  • Slow reflexes
  • Brief loss of consciousness

After a few days or weeks, these minor symptoms usually disappear.

Moderate or severe TBIs might cause the following symptoms in addition to these:

  • Lasting nausea
  • Headache
  • Dilated pupils
  • Trouble waking up
  • Weakness in your arms
  • Drainage of fluids from your ears or nose
  • Seizures

TBIs of this nature are dangerous and can have long-term consequences. Your mood can shift, making you feel irritable, worried, or vulnerable. Your short-term memory, as well as your capacity to think and focus, may be harmed. You may be having problems managing your impulses.

If you've banged your head, get medical help right away. It's essential to seek the help of an expert neurologist if your symptoms are severe.

What causes TBI?

Various factors can cause a TBI. Many TBIs arise as a result of car accidents. Other things may occur as a result of:

  • Falls
  • Assaults
  • Sports or recreation injuries
  • Gunshot wounds
  • Child abuse, including shaken baby syndrome
  • Military actions (blast injuries)

Various sorts of brain injuries that can occur include:

Concussion

A violent fall or a direct blow to the head causes a concussion leading to shock or trauma by jarring your brain. You might feel disoriented and off-kilter. 

Brain Contusion

A bruised brain is a brain contusion, and it causes swelling and bleeding in the brain. This form of bruise appears on the inside of your skull and is not noticeable on the outside.

Intracranial Hematoma

An intracranial hematoma collects blood inside the skull that clots between your brain and head, forming a blood clot. After an injury, it may take a few days or even weeks to manifest.

How is a TBI diagnosed?

A neurologist will perform a neurological examination to diagnose TBI. They will elicit information from you regarding the injuries and symptoms, and they will also put your physical and mental reflexes to the test.

Your doctor will use the exam to establish the severity of your brain injury. Other tests, such as an X-ray, a computed tomography (CT) scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), may also be required.

TBI treatment

Traumatic brain injury is a medical emergency, and the nature, location, and degree of the injury influence the treatment.

If you have a minor injury, your therapy will primarily consist of rest. Over-the-counter pain relievers can also help relieve headaches and neck pain. Any new or worsening symptoms should be thoroughly monitored at home.

Your doctor will begin by stabilizing your injury if you have moderate or severe damage. Getting oxygen to your brain and body and controlling blood pressure are part of this process. These precautions aid in the prevention of additional harm. You may need to get admitted to the hospital for medication or surgery. 

A surgeon can treat a fractured skull, stop brain bleeding, remove blood clots, and reduce pressure inside the head. Surgery may be required right away. Blood clots can take a long time to form, and surgery may be required after days or weeks of the incident.

Rehabilitation

Many persons who have had a moderate to severe Traumatic Brain Injury will require rehabilitation. Several criteria, including the severity of the injury and the area of the brain affected, will determine the sort of rehabilitation.

  • If your accident has impacted the location of your brain that controls your voice, you may require speech therapy. 
  • Physical therapy may be needed if the part of the brain that regulates movement gets impaired. 
  • Your rehabilitation could occur in a hospital, a skilled nursing facility, an outpatient clinic, or your own home. 
  • It usually entails a large number of professionals. 
  • Any therapy or rehabilitation program aims to increase your ability to carry out daily tasks.

What is biofeedback therapy?2

Understanding what is biofeedback therapy can be complicated for many people. 

You control your actions when you raise your hand to wave hello to a friend or elevate your knee to take another step on the Stairmaster. 

Your nervous system controls other physiological functions such as heart rate, skin temperature, and blood pressure involuntarily. 

You don't think about speeding up your heartbeat, and it simply occurs as a result of your surroundings, such as when you're frightened, aroused, or exercising. You can get more control over these generally involuntary functions with one strategy. It's called biofeedback, and it's a type of therapy that can assist with migraine headaches, chronic pain, incontinence, and high blood pressure, among other things.

The premise behind biofeedback therapy is that you can acquire more control over your health by harnessing the power of your mind and being aware of what's going on inside your body. So, biofeedback therapy can also aid in TBI treatment.

To conclude:

Traumatic brain injuries can have long-term consequences, and you may be left with disabilities for life. Physical, behavioral, linguistic, and mental issues might all be present.

If your injury has left you with long-term problems, finding a support group may benefit you. Others who have had similar injuries can assist you in learning about your injury's challenges, give you coping skills, and provide emotional support. 

References / Resources

1 Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury In Texas

2Biofeedback Therapy - Advantage Healthcare Systems

 

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isabelladsouza99

About isabelladsouza99

Hello myself Isabella Dsouza, I am a healthcare expert treating TBI, back pain, concussions, etc. Also, I am a medical content writer for advantagehcs.com.

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Great Article,

I personally know of two separate incidents where guys had TBIs but they didn't go to the hospital because they said "I'm alright" afterwards.  One was an assault/robbery in an out of town place and the other was a fall.  At first they seemed fine and were strongly encouraged to go to the ED but neither of them went.  They were fine that first week or two but both died.  Strangely, both died in their sleep, they were bleeding and didn't know it.  This is so real.  Anytime you hit your head, you should ALWAYS go to the hospital.

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

I was hit head-on by a pickup truck while riding my motorcycle when I was 19 years old. I suffered a multitude of fractures and internal injuries, along with a closed head injury which left me in a coma for nearly three weeks.

"Traumatic brain injuries can have long-term consequences, and you may be left with disabilities for life."

I feel as though I was very, very lucky and blessed that any long-term consequences were minor, and I was able to function highly after my recovery. I have known many others, both personally and professionally, who were not so lucky.

Good article.

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