Traumatic Brain Injury

An individual experiences a traumatic brain injury when a form of external force causes harm or injury to your brain. External forces such as this can create neurological trauma when it comes from a violent blow to a head or body. Not only can external forces cause harm, but anything that may potentially pierce or penetrate the skull can cause traumatic injury.

Traumatic brain injury can have wide-ranging effects both physical and psychological. Some signs or symptoms of the injury may appear immediately after the traumatic event, while other symptoms may not appear until many days or weeks later.

Mild traumatic brain injury

Not all traumatic brain injuries are severe. In fact, there are brain injuries that exist which are mild in nature and simply cause temporary dysfunction of brain cells. With mild traumatic brain injury it is not expected that a person would suffer from permanent damage.

Some of the typical signs and symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury may include:

• Being dazed, confused or disoriented
• Fatigue or drowsiness
• Headache
• Loss of consciousness
• Memory, mood or concentration problems
• Nausea or vomiting
• Sensitivity to light or sound
• Sleeping more than usual

Moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries

More serious traumatic brain injury can result in bruising, torn tissues, bleeding and other physical damage to the brain that can result in long-term complications or death.

Moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries can include any of the signs and symptoms of mild injury, as well as the following symptoms:

• Clear fluids draining from the nose or ears
• Coma or loss of consciousness for extended period of time
• Consistent vomiting or nausea
• Convulsions or seizures
• Dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes
• Headache that continues to worsen
• Inability to awaken from sleep
• Loss of coordination
• Loss of sensation or movement in fingers and toes
• Profound confusion
• Slurred speech
• Unusual behavior