Brain injuries are possible following a serious accident, so it’s important to know the symptoms and what to do if they arise. Traumatic brain injuries are not always apparent right away, sometimes forming as delayed-onset injuries. If that happens, then the signs of injury may not occur for several hours or days following the collision.
Knowing the signs of a concussion or other forms of brain injuries will help you get the right care as soon as possible. Here’s what to look for.
The signs of a traumatic brain injury
The signs of traumatic brain injuries can include symptoms such as:
- Dizziness
- Trouble with speech
- Sensory issues, such as blurred vision
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Trouble sleeping
- Memory changes
- Concentration issues
- Loss of consciousness
- Mood swings
- Mood changes
- Loss of coordination
- Slurred speech
- Seizures
- Vomiting and nausea
This list doesn’t include all the possible signs of a traumatic brain injury, so if you have any unusual symptoms or signs like the above, it’s important to seek medical attention.
What kinds of treatments are there for traumatic brain injuries?
There are many kinds of treatments for traumatic brain injuries, but the treatments that will work for you will depend on the type of injury you’ve suffered and how quickly you sought out treatment. To start with, the medical provider may use an intracranial pressure monitor to make sure the pressure inside the skull is not too high. After that, medical imaging scans will be used to identify the parts of the brain that were injured.
Medications could be used, such as coma-inducing drugs, diuretics or anti-seizure medications. If those are not helpful, emergency surgery may be used to remove blood clots, repair fractures in the skull or stop bleeding. Sometimes, surgery is used to reduce pressure within the skull.
Traumatic brain injuries have the potential to be life-altering. If you hit your head or believe you have suffered an injury in a collision, it’s worth taking the time to go through a medical exam. It could help prevent complications and reduce the lasting symptoms of an injury by getting you faster treatment.