Traumatic brain injury is a type of catastrophic injury that affects many Floridians. It can develop after a serious car accident, fall or even an act of deliberate violence. It’s important to distinguish the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury.
How serious are traumatic brain injuries?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can range in severity depending on the blow a person suffers to the head. With lesser impact, a TBI can be mild and temporary. However, it could also be a severe, permanent, even disabling injury in the worst-case scenario.
Many people suffer mild TBIs like concussions. Even milder injuries can dramatically change a person’s life. Recent studies have found that even when a TBI is considered mild, it could have lasting effects on a person’s thinking, learning and memory abilities. A small percentage of people affected by mild TBIs even suffer cognitive impairment.
What are the symptoms of traumatic brain injury?
TBIs can result in a combination of any of the following symptoms:
- Headaches
- Fatigue or drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Speech problems
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Blurred vision
- Tinnitus
- Changes in taste and smell
- Loss of consciousness
- Insomnia or sleeping too much
- Mood swings
- Memory problems
- Confusion
- Depression or anxiety
- Numbness or weakness
- Pupil dilation
- Seizures
- Loss of coordination
- Coma
What should you do if you suffer a head injury?
After an accident of any kind, if you have suffered a head injury, it’s important to seek immediate medical treatment. Even the mildest TBI can drastically change your life. Ignoring it by assuming it will get better over time is a mistake. Many people believe that mild concussions resolve, but that doesn’t necessarily happen.
Even mild TBIs can bring about serious symptoms. Never ignore them as they can have long-lasting effects.