Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is a very serious condition that can occur at any time there is an injury involving the head. Head injuries and brain injuries are two different types of injuries, and you do not have to suffer from both to have one or the other.
TBI has been classified into three categories. A Personal Injury Attorney in Pasadena, CA lists some examples of each category on their website. Each of these categories has their own signs and symptoms. It should be noted that moderate and severe TBI can have lasting impacts on the victim’s life.
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. This type of injury usually involves a concussion. The person did not have to be rendered unconscious to receive an injury, and the head does not have to be physically damaged. In most cases, these injuries occur from violent shaking of the head, such as during the impact of a vehicle accident. Symptoms include dizziness, vomiting, loss of memory, difficulty concentrating, and irritability without justification.
Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury. To be classified as a moderate case of TBI, the victim must have been knocked unconscious and remained that way for up to one full day. There are serious side effects that last for months associated with this problem. All the symptoms mentioned above are prolonged, and there is a noticeable problem with anger issues and uncontrolled emotions. Moderate TBI victims become easily confused and may also have physical impairments due to the brain trauma. There may also be issues with loss of vision from time to time.
Severe Traumatic Brain Injury. This type of brain injury usually occurs with physical m to the head. Severe TBI victims can loose mobility at times, have sensory malfunctions, lose ability to see, hear, or taste things at different intervals and without warning. Severe TBI usually causes lasting physical issues and most sufferers have a very hard time controlling their emotions. They are prone to anger problems and often have to be restrained or medicated to control these temper problems.
It is very important to note that TBI can be a lasting issue, even in mild form. Flare ups of these problems can continue to occur for weeks, months, even the rest of their lives depending on severity. They can also flare up after long periods of no symptoms.
TBI symptoms are often overlooked because the victim does not complain about a headache or about feeling dizzy when they stand up. They may thin that the food they ate was just awful instead of realizing that their sense of taste is gone. They may even believe they are imagining the problems. The cue that everyone should watch for is the anger and irrational emotions. This is usually a signal that they need help.
Anyone who has been involved in an accident or has been diagnosed with a concussion or other brain or head injury should be carefully monitored for these signs of TBI. It will be necessary for a loved one to spot the signs and take them for immediate medical care because the scariest part of TBI is that the victim often does not understand what is happening.
An avid follower of Tripp Halstead, a little boy who suffered a TBI from a fallen branch, Melanie Fleury was inspired to write this article to educate others on the types of traumatic brain injury. She searched the site of a Personal Injury Attorney in Pasadena, CA to learn more about common head injuries and how they are treated.
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/arenamontanus/2103003787/