The After Effects Of Traumatic Brain Injury After A Car Accident

Most traumatic brain injuries that are sustained during a car accident are a closed head injury, which mean the person suffered a blow to the head. Which are sometimes less severe than open head injuries, which happens when something pierces the head and damages the brain. When a person suffers a traumatic brain injury in a car accident, there are two kinds of damage, primary brain damage, which is damage that happens right after impact, for example, skull fracture, bleeding, etc. and secondary brain damage, which evolves over time well after the trauma, examples are seizures and brain swelling.

With data collect by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention around one point seven million brain injuries occur each year and about thirty percent of them result in death. Most severe traumatic brain injuries are diagnosed by using a CT scan and/or MRI. If the patient has a mild brain injury then they are usually diagnosed just by the symptoms that they present to their doctor but all traumatic brain injuries should diagnosed with an MRI or CT scan.

Traumatic brain injuries can result in short term and long-term effects. The physical problems that may arise after a brain injury is headaches, dizziness, paralysis, balance and coordination problems, and seizures, which could be short or long term problems. Depending on where the injury is to the brain, some experience sensory problems that that can lead to confusion. Behavioral problems are also another effect of a brain injury including mood swings, anxiety, depression, and impulsivity. Cognitive problems may arise also, which impairs the way they think. They can become unable to solve problems, paying attention, or making decisions. Sometimes the person can’t retain new memories but still has most of their old ones and they can usually remember the names of their friends and family.

Communication can also be a challenge in some cases, the speech became slurred due to muscles weakness and they might also have problems writing and reading. Some patients also suffer from dysphagia, which means they have weaken muscles in the mouth and throat that prevents them from swallowing. After a traumatic brain injury the patient is getting better in the hospital, they are usually sent to a rehabilitation center to undergo treatment. This can be physical, mental, or speech therapy and the stay in one of these places depends on the patient and the severity of their traumatic brain injury.