If your head gets hit by something outside your body with notable force, or you are in an incident where your brain gets internal impact due to whiplash, it may result in traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI is a type of acquired injury in the brain due to external violence to the head. It could be through impact, for instance, through a car wreck.
Normally, TBI can cause unconsciousness at the point where the accident occurred, making it a dangerous occurrence that needs immediate medical care. You must contact beach injury lawyers if you have had a traumatic brain injury. We help victims of serious injury to recover financial and non-financial damages. Below are the subtle signs of traumatic brain injury you need to know.
Excessive Lethargy
Naturally, a person may feel exhausted immediately after suffering from a TBI. After the body has started healing, the general lethargy and mental or physical exhaustion should have stopped. If it continues, that indicates lingering TBI issues. It is important to check for changes in sleeping patterns as they help identify such aftereffects. General apathy and sluggishness also indicate potential problems in the long term.
Personality Changes
Changes in the patient’s personality are among the most detrimental long-term signs of brain injury. Since the brain is very indicative, the level at which it gets affected varies depending on the location of the collision and the type of head injury. For instance, if someone has gotten a blow on the frontal region, they are more likely to be risk-prone than what would have usually been. It may be difficult for the person to inhibit certain behaviors they had kept under control before the injury happened. The affected person may turn out to be more analytical and less affectionate.
Vision Problems
One of the obvious signs of brain trauma after an accident is blurred vision, as you can easily notice it immediately. Some patients experience subtle vision changes, which they often ignore; however, such signs are likely to develop into acute, long-term predicaments. A patient may have problems reading up close, or they could have more limited long-range vision because of the head injury they experienced.
Numbness or Tingling after Head Injury
The patient may start feeling a sensation of needles and pins in some body parts, or they may have lingering scalp numbness after a head trauma. It can be a sign of actual damage to specific areas of the brain or a symptom of nerve disorder. After the head gets hit, the impact causes the brain to split the control of the nervous system among its two hemispheres, which explains why a patient often feels the pins and needles on one side.
Memory Problems
It is expected that you may start experiencing some memory problems. However, if the memory loss problems linger past the expected recovery period, that can indicate that the injury is more substantive than originally diagnosed. Inability to recall places or names, forgetfulness, and worsened short-term recall, among others, are indicators of traumatic brain injury. These indications can signal potential long-term damage to the ability of the brain to process and retain information.
Balancing Problems or Faintness
After hitting your head, you may experience a lingering susceptibility to fainting. It is a clear indication that there is a disruption of the blood flowing to the brain. Fainting always presents with lethargy and increased hours of sleep.
Altered Taste and Smell
Moderate head trauma can easily cause damage to the olfactory organs, as they are very sensitive. At first, they may not have obvious symptoms, but with time you may notice some changes in smell and taste. Such problems have many causes, and it talks about a comprehensive medical examination for specialists to identify the underlying issues and if they are treatable.
Dizziness and Persistent Headaches
People look for soreness in the head or other relevant conditions immediately after a blow. However, it is common for someone to have dizziness or headaches, which could result from many different things. That way, it can be quite easy for you to dismiss it as something less severe. If you ever experience dizziness and headaches, understand that they could signify nerve damage, a change in the brain, or damage to the brain stem.
Unfortunately, many people presume that if they are sent home, there is nothing to get worried about. Such assumptions are dangerous because it is possible to have delayed subtle and debilitating symptoms that can go on for months or even years after the accident. You must also understand the severe symptoms of traumatic brain injury as they need immediate medical attention. They include:
- Slurred speech
- Persistent headaches
- Intermittent nausea
- Confusion
- Vomiting
- Balance problems