Traumatic Brain Injury

What is Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)?  Some know it as a concussion....but what is it?

According to the Mayo Clinic there are two different types of TBI:  Mild and Moderate to severe:

Mild: 
The signs and symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury (concussion) may include:

• Loss of consciousness for a few seconds to a few minutes
• No loss of consciousness, but a state of being dazed, confused or disoriented
• Memory or concentration problems
• Headache
• Dizziness or loss of balance
• Nausea or vomiting
• Sensory problems, such as blurred vision, ringing in the ears or a bad taste in the mouth
• Sensitivity to light or sound
• Mood changes or mood swings
• Feeling depressed or anxious
• Fatigue or drowsiness
• Difficulty sleeping
• Sleeping more than usual

Moderate to severe:

Moderate to severe traumatic brain injury can include any of the signs and symptoms of mild injury, as well as the following symptoms that may appear within the first hours to days after a head injury:

• Loss of consciousness from a few minutes to hours
• Profound confusion
• Agitation, combativeness or other unusual behavior
• Slurred speech
• Inability to awaken from sleep
• Weakness or numbness in the extremities
• Loss of coordination
• Loss of bladder control or bowel control
• Persistent headache or headache that worsens
• Repeated vomiting or nausea
• Convulsions or seizures
• Dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes
• Clear fluids draining from the nose or ears

Children's symptoms:
Infants and young children with brain injuries may lack the communication skills to report headaches, sensory problems, confusion and similar symptoms. In a child with traumatic brain injury, you may observe:

• Change in nursing or eating habits
• Persistent crying
• Unusual or easy irritability
• Change in ability to pay attention
• Inability to be consoled
• Change in sleep habits
• Sad or depressed mood
• Loss of interest in favorite toys or activities

Traumatic brain injury is caused by a blow or other traumatic injury to the head. The degree of damage can depend on several factors including the nature of the event and the force of impact. Injury may include one or more of the following factors:

• Damage to brain cells may be limited to the area directly below the point of impact on the skull.
• A severe blow or jolt can cause multiple points of damage because the brain may bounce back and forth in the skull.
• A severe rotational or spinning jolt can cause the tearing of cellular structures.
• A blast, as from an explosive device, can cause widespread damage.
• An object penetrating the skull can cause severe, irreparable damage to brain cells, blood vessels and protective tissues around the brain.
• Bleeding in or around the brain, swelling, and blood clots can disrupt the oxygen supply to the brain and cause more widespread damage.

(above information is taken directly from the Mayo Clinic website)

With any head injury it is important to see a doctor immediately as symptoms of TBI may not appear for hours after the blow or injury to the head.  With some head injuries it will appear that you are "okay" only to find yourself in the Emergency Room hours later.  

Watch this video to understand, from a survivors view, what happens when you suffer from a TBI.

Have you, or someone you know, suffered from a Traumatic Brain Injury?  Tell me your story

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