Traumatic Brain Injury – What is it?

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs as a result of an external force affecting the brain. Accidents and acts of violence are two major categories of external forces that can cause TBI. The external force may be a blow from a physical object or it can simply be a sudden movement or twist of the head. The resulting G-force can cause the brain to bounce off of the inside of the skull causing damage. Traumatic brain injury is classified according to how the injury occurred and the severity of the injury.

Causes
According the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the most common cause of traumatic brain injury in the United States is falling, at 28 percent of cases. Motor vehicle accidents are the second leading cause of TBI at 20 percent. This is followed by blows by a foreign object, at 19 percent; assault, at 11 percent; and non-motorized bicycle accidents at 3 percent. In total, about 1.7 million new cases of traumatic brain injury occur every year in the U.S.

Symptoms
Symptoms vary by the severity of the injury. Someone with a mild concussion may remain conscious, but could be momentarily dazed. More severe cases of TBI result in a loss of consciousness lasting from a few seconds to several minutes. Once consciousness is regained, the victim or traumatic brain injury may have a headache and/or feel confused, dizzy, or lightheaded. He or she may experience blurred vision or other sensory/perceptual changes such as a ringing in the ears or a taste on the tongue. Fatigue and sleepiness are common. Other symptoms include nausea, loss of memory, cloudy thinking, or even seizures. In some cases, a loss of coordination, numbness or tingling in the extremities may also be experienced. In addition, speech may be slurred.

Treatment
Anyone who experiences a traumatic brain injury requires first aid and professional medical attention as soon as possible. If left untreated, secondary injuries such as intracranial bleeding or lack of oxygen to the brain may occur, causing disastrously severe symptoms or death. Treatment is dependent on the type of injury and the results of imaging tests such as x-rays, MRIs, or CT scans. Severe cases may require long-term therapy. Surgery is required in some cases.

Prognosis
Most people who experience traumatic brain injury are treated in the emergency room and released afterwards. Moderate to severe TBI requires hospitalization. Over 52,000 cases per year result in death.
Goldberg & Osborne, a personal injury law firm, has provided this article for informational purposes only, written by an independent author, has not reviewed or edited this article, and is not responsible for its content or accuracy.