Traumatic Brain Injury

What is a traumatic brain injury?

A traumatic brain injury is caused by a blow, bump, or jolt to your head that disrupts your brain’s normal function. The injuries range from mild to severe. 

A mild traumatic brain injury may make you feel disoriented or lose consciousness briefly. A severe injury may lead to an extended period of unconsciousness or memory loss. Most traumatic brain injuries are mild rather than severe.

The effects of a traumatic brain injury may last a couple of days or the rest of your life. The injuries can take a severe toll on your health, even leading to death without proper treatment. In 2014, 155 Americans died each day on average from injuries related to a traumatic brain injury, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What are the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury?

Your symptoms depend on whether the injury is mild or serious. Signs of a mild injury include:

• Losing consciousness for a few seconds or a few minutes
  
• Feeling dazed, confused, or disoriented
  
• Ringing in your ears or blurred vision
  
• Headache
  
• Nausea or vomiting
  
• Fatigue or drowsiness
  
• Problems with speech
  
• Sensitivity to light or sound

You might also have trouble sleeping or sleep more than usual. With a moderate or more serious injury, you may experience some of these symptoms or others:

• Loss of consciousness for several minutes or hours
  
• Headache that won't go away
  
• Repeated vomiting or nausea
  
• Convulsions or seizures
  
• Slurred speech
  
• Dilated pupils 
  
• Weakness or numbness in fingers and toes
  
• Loss of coordination

Contact the team at Advanced Center for Neurology and Headache if you or your child have suffered a blow to the head or body that concerns you or produces changes in behavior. Traumatic brain injuries are usually emergencies, and the effects may worsen quickly without treatment. 

How is a traumatic brain injury diagnosed?

Your doctor at Advanced Center for Neurology and Headache assesses the situation swiftly. They perform a 15-point test to evaluate the initial severity of a brain injury. The test, called the Glasgow Coma Scale, checks your ability, or that of a loved one, to follow directions and move their eyes, arms, and legs. 

Your provider asks questions about how the injury occurred and may recommend imaging tests to gather more information about the extent of the damage. Once they’ve completed their diagnosis, they recommend appropriate care for the injury.

If you or a loved one has experienced a blow to the head, call Advanced Center for Neurology and Headache or book a consultation online.