Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury that causes harm to thebrain. Falling, car accidents, sports injuries, and physical attacks can all cause a TBI.
Some TBIs are mild, causing headaches or dizziness that resolve within days. Other TBIs cause serious, long-term complications likeparalysis,tremors, or personality changes.
This article describes the symptoms and causes of a traumatic brain injury, including what is involved in the diagnosis and treatment of TBIs.
What Are the Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A variety of symptoms can occur with a TBI. You might notice symptoms immediately after the trauma or several weeks or months later. There may also be physical signs, like a bump on the head or bleeding, or no external symptoms at all.
The effects of a minor TBI can sometimes resolve within a few hours. Severe TBIs may cause prolonged effects lasting for weeks, months, or even a lifetime.
Symptoms of a TBI may include:
Delayed ReactionsA TBI may not cause any notable symptoms at first. This is common with an injury likesubdural hematomain which blood pools on the surface of the brain. Symptoms may only develop days, weeks, or months later when ample pressure is exerted on the brain.This is especially true with adults over 60 who often develop a chronic subdural hematoma after a relatively mild fall or bump on the head.
Delayed Reactions
A TBI may not cause any notable symptoms at first. This is common with an injury likesubdural hematomain which blood pools on the surface of the brain. Symptoms may only develop days, weeks, or months later when ample pressure is exerted on the brain.This is especially true with adults over 60 who often develop a chronic subdural hematoma after a relatively mild fall or bump on the head.
A TBI may not cause any notable symptoms at first. This is common with an injury likesubdural hematomain which blood pools on the surface of the brain. Symptoms may only develop days, weeks, or months later when ample pressure is exerted on the brain.
This is especially true with adults over 60 who often develop a chronic subdural hematoma after a relatively mild fall or bump on the head.
What Are Common Causes of a Traumatic Brain Injury?
These injuries can be broadly classified as:
Examples of these injuries include:
TBI does not necessarily involve a skull fracture or skin wound. Closed traumatic brain injuries (also called closed head injuries or CHI) occur when the force of a blow to the head causes a brain injury without notable harm to the brain or scalp.
Verywell / Emily Roberts
How Traumatic Brain Injury Is Diagnosed
Aneuropsychological testmay also be used to evaluate mental functions like reading, memory, language, attention, learning, processing speed, reasoning, and problem-solving as well as mood and behavior
An assessment tool calledconcussion testingwill commonly be performed to look for “red flags” of a severe brain injury based on the following hallmark signs:
If any “red flags” are noted, brain imaging may be ordered to check for problems like subdural hematoma,intracerebral hemorrhage(a “brain bleed”), orepidural hematoma(a pocket of blood between the skull and meninges). Options include:
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How Traumatic Brain Injuries Are Treated
The treatment of TBI depends on the severity and type of brain injury you sustain. You may need a combination of treatments, including medications, surgery, and rehabilitation. Recovery may take days, weeks, or months, or require ongoing care.
Medications
Medical management may be needed to reduce edema and control severe symptoms like head pain and seizures. This may involve intravenous (IV) fluids, corticosteroid (steroid) drugs,anticonvulsants, and other medications.
Surgery
If you have a large bleed in your brain, you will need to have it evacuated (released). This often requires emergency surgery in which a portion of the skull is temporarily removed to ease intracranial pressure.
In some situations, this can be done through aburr hole,which is a small hole drilled into the skull.
Rehabilitation and Recovery
A brain injury may result in the loss of some physical or cognitive (thinking) abilities. Rehabilitation strategies may include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, cognitive therapy, and counseling.
Summary
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is any injury that damages the brain either temporarily or permanently. Symptoms can range from headaches, nausea, and drowsiness to seizures, loss of consciousness, and paralysis.
A TBI may be due to a concussive, acceleration/deceleration, or penetrating injury. The diagnosis may involve a physical exam, neuropsychological testing, concussion testing, and imagining studies. The treatment can vary but may include medications, rehabilitation, or surgery.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ahmed S, Venigalla H, Mekala HM, Dar S, Hassan M, Ayub S.Traumatic Brain Injury and Neuropsychiatric Complications.Indian J Psychol Med. 2017;39(2):114–121. doi:10.4103/0253-7176.203129National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.What are common TBI symptoms?Lee JJ, Segar DJ, Morrison JF, Mangham WM, Lee S, Asaad WF.Subdural hematoma as a major determinant of short-term outcomes in traumatic brain injury.J Neurosurg.2018;128(1):236-249. doi:10.3171/2016.5.JNS16255Mckee AC, Daneshvar DH.The neuropathology of traumatic brain injury.Handb Clin Neurol. 2015;127:45–66. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-52892-6.00004-0
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ahmed S, Venigalla H, Mekala HM, Dar S, Hassan M, Ayub S.Traumatic Brain Injury and Neuropsychiatric Complications.Indian J Psychol Med. 2017;39(2):114–121. doi:10.4103/0253-7176.203129National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.What are common TBI symptoms?Lee JJ, Segar DJ, Morrison JF, Mangham WM, Lee S, Asaad WF.Subdural hematoma as a major determinant of short-term outcomes in traumatic brain injury.J Neurosurg.2018;128(1):236-249. doi:10.3171/2016.5.JNS16255Mckee AC, Daneshvar DH.The neuropathology of traumatic brain injury.Handb Clin Neurol. 2015;127:45–66. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-52892-6.00004-0
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Ahmed S, Venigalla H, Mekala HM, Dar S, Hassan M, Ayub S.Traumatic Brain Injury and Neuropsychiatric Complications.Indian J Psychol Med. 2017;39(2):114–121. doi:10.4103/0253-7176.203129National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.What are common TBI symptoms?Lee JJ, Segar DJ, Morrison JF, Mangham WM, Lee S, Asaad WF.Subdural hematoma as a major determinant of short-term outcomes in traumatic brain injury.J Neurosurg.2018;128(1):236-249. doi:10.3171/2016.5.JNS16255Mckee AC, Daneshvar DH.The neuropathology of traumatic brain injury.Handb Clin Neurol. 2015;127:45–66. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-52892-6.00004-0
Ahmed S, Venigalla H, Mekala HM, Dar S, Hassan M, Ayub S.Traumatic Brain Injury and Neuropsychiatric Complications.Indian J Psychol Med. 2017;39(2):114–121. doi:10.4103/0253-7176.203129
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.What are common TBI symptoms?
Lee JJ, Segar DJ, Morrison JF, Mangham WM, Lee S, Asaad WF.Subdural hematoma as a major determinant of short-term outcomes in traumatic brain injury.J Neurosurg.2018;128(1):236-249. doi:10.3171/2016.5.JNS16255
Mckee AC, Daneshvar DH.The neuropathology of traumatic brain injury.Handb Clin Neurol. 2015;127:45–66. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-52892-6.00004-0
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