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Signs and Symptoms of Brain Injury

Written by: Lars A. Lundeen

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Brain Injury Personal Injury

Posted over 2 years ago. 8 helpful votes, 0 comments

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Concussion

A concussion is a brain injury caused by a bump or blow to the head that can change the way your brain normally works. A concussion can also sometimes be caused by a fast acceleration or deceleration injury, even if there has not been direct trauma to the head (a contrecoup type injury - think resting your head on your car seat headrest when you are slammed from behind by another vehicle). Even what seems to be a mild bump or blow to the head can be serious. Each year thousands of car accident victims sustain concussion injuries resulting in brain injuries. Each year, as many as 3.8 million sports and recreation related concussions occur in the United States. Athletes who have at least one concussion are at increased risk for another concussion, be it from a sports injury or an automotive or other type injury. A repeat concussion that happens before the brain fully recovers from the first can result in brain swelling, permanent brain damage, and even death.

Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury

Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury can include, but are not limited to: * Spinal fluid (thin water-looking liquid) coming out of the ears or nose * Loss of consciousness; however, loss of consciousness may not occur in some concussion cases * Dilated pupils (the center of the eye is large and does not get smaller in light) or unequal size of pupils * Vision changes (blurred vision or seeing double, not able to tolerate bright light, loss of eye movement, blindness) * Dizziness, balance problems * Respiratory failure (not breathing) * Coma (not alert and unable to respond to others) or semi-comatose state * Paralysis, difficulty moving body parts, weakness, poor coordination * Difficulty with thinking skills (difficulty "thinking straight", memory problems, poor judgment, or attention span, a slowed thought processing speed) * Inappropriate emotional responses (irritability, easily frustrated, inappropriate crying or laughing) * (Symptoms continued in step 3)

Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury (Continued)

* Difficulty speaking, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing * Body numbness or tingling * Confusion * Slow pulse * Slow breathing rate, with an increase in blood pressure * Vomiting * Lethargy (sluggish, sleepy, gets tired easily) * Headache * Ringing in the ears, or changes in ability to hear