According to the Brain Injury Association of America, 2.6 million Americans suffer some type of brain injury each year, whether it is due to trauma, stroke, tumor, or other conditions. Traumatic brain injuries result in 52,000 deaths per year, and 5 million people who suffer a traumatic brain injury need assistance with daily tasks. The American Stroke Association estimates that 137,000 Americans die of stroke each year.
Having a brain injury or caring for someone who does may raise a series of questions for you. Florida Surgery Consultants has gathered information about brain injuries to provide patients and their families with more information. Brain injuries may have a variety of sources and causes, but can generally be divided into two types: Traumatic Brain Injuries and Non-Traumatic Brain Injuries.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
An external force affects the function of the brain in traumatic brain injuries. In most cases, traumatic brain injuries occur when a person is involved in a car accident, a fall, physical assault, or accident as a result of playing sports. The following causes of traumatic brain injuries included are further explained:
- Traumatic brain injuries: Typically occur due to falls from a ladder or bed, downstairs, while bathing, or other types of falls, particularly in older adults and young children.
- Vehicle-related collisions: Automobile, motorcycle, and bicycle collisions, as well as pedestrian accidents involving such vehicles, can lead to traumatic brain injuries.
- Physical Abuse: Assaults, domestic violence, gunshot wounds, and child abuse are common causes. Infants suffering from Shaken Baby syndrome incur traumatic brain injuries caused by violent shaking.
- Sports injuries: The most common sports that may cause traumatic brain injuries are soccer, boxing, football, baseball, lacrosse, skateboarding, hockey, and other high-impact sports. These are especially common among youth.
- Explosive blasts and other combat injuries: Military personnel who are serving in the field are more likely to suffer traumatic brain injuries due to explosions.
Despite not fully understanding how the damage occurs, several researchers believe that pressure waves passing through the brain significantly disrupt brain function. Additionally, traumatic brain injuries can occur as a result of penetrating wounds, injuries from shrapnel or debris, or from falling or colliding with an object after a blast.
What are the major types of traumatic brain injuries?
Hematoma
Hematomas form when blood clots outside the blood vessels. When a brain hematoma occurs, it can be very serious. Clotting can cause pressure to build up inside your skull. A loss of consciousness or permanent damage to the brain could result from this incident.
Concussion
Concussions occur when the impact on the head is severe enough to injure the brain. The brain can hit the walls of your skull or suddenly be accelerated and decelerated, which causes this sensation. Concussions usually result in temporary function loss. Repeated concussions, however, may result in permanent damage.
Edema
Edema, or swelling, can result from any brain injury. Injuries often cause swelling of the surrounding tissues, but when they occur in the brain, it’s more serious. Skulls cannot expand to accommodate swelling. A result of this is that your brain presses against your skull as a result of pressure buildup.
Skull Fracture
Skulls lack bone marrow, unlike other bones in the body. The skull is therefore very strong and difficult to break. Because a broken skull cannot absorb impact, it is more likely that your brain will also be damaged.
Diffuse Axonal Injury
A diffuse axonal injury (sheer injury) to the brain does not result in bleeding but damages the brain cells. Damage to the brain cells renders them incapable of functioning. Furthermore, swelling may occur, causing more damage. A diffuse axonal injury is one of the most dangerous types of head injury even though it isn’t as visible as other types of head injuries. It may result in permanent brain damage or even death.
Non-Traumatic Brain Injuries
On the other hand, non-traumatic brain injuries are caused by internal factors such as oxygen deprivation, exposure to toxins, or tumor pressure. Most non-traumatic brain injuries are caused by strokes, aneurysms, tumors, almost drowning, infectious diseases, and a lack of oxygen to the brain. These injuries are sometimes called nontraumatic acquired brain injuries, or ABIs.
Hemorrhage
Blood loss can occur within brain tissue (intracerebral bleeding) or within the brain’s surrounding spaces (subarachnoid bleeding). When an ABI occurs, it is generally attributed to an aneurysm burst. A brain hemorrhage can occur as a result of a TBI. A brain aneurysm is a bulged blood vessel.
Hypoxic/Anoxic Brain Injury
Hypoxic brain injuries occur when part of the brain lacks oxygen, and anoxic brain injuries occur when part of the brain lacks oxygen. There is generally a connection between both injuries and disruptions of natural breathing patterns.
Stroke
A stroke occurs when the brain receives too little blood flow, and all the brain cells die. Strokes are either ischemic (caused by blocked arteries) or hemorrhagic (caused by ruptured blood vessels). Sometimes, they are caused by temporary blood clots and are known as transient ischemic attacks.
What Occurs After a Brain Injury?
Two things happen immediately after a brain injury. An injury to the brain causes a series of biochemical reactions and physiological responses. As a result of secondary cell death, substances that once occupied these cells flood the brain, causing further damages and destruction to brain cells. According to the severity of the brain injury, short-term effects may include temporary loss of consciousness, respiratory problems (breathing problems), and/or motor problems.
As opposed to what is portrayed in movies, a person’s reawakening after losing consciousness is far from immediate and can sometimes be quite difficult for them and for those supporting them. In this period, people may experience neurological symptoms such as irritability, aggression, posture, and other issues. This is important for patients. An injured person may also experience post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) after regaining consciousness. When an individual is experiencing PTA, they can feel disoriented and confused (i.e., wondering who they are, where they are, and what has happened to them) and are unable to recall recent events.
Symptoms of a Brain Injury
There are more blood vessels in your head than any other part of your body, so bleeding on the brain’s surface or within your brain can cause serious problems. A head injury does not always result in bleeding, however. It’s important to know about additional symptoms to watch out for. There are many symptoms of serious brain injury that do not appear immediately. It is always advisable to continue monitoring your symptoms for at least a few days following a head injury.
A mild injury to the head can cause the following symptoms:
- A headache
- Lightheadedness
- A spinning sensation
- Mild confusion
- Nausea
- Temporary ringing in the ears
Many of the symptoms of a serious head injury are similar to those of a minor head injury. Among them are:
- Seizures
- Vomiting
- Balance or coordination problems
- Serious disorientation
- An inability to focus the eyes
- Abnormal eye movements
- Loss of muscle control
- A persistent or worsening headache
- Memory loss
- Changes in mood
- Leaking of clear fluid from the ear or the nose
- A loss of consciousness
How are Head Injuries Treated?
Various types of head injuries require different treatment methods. In minor head injuries, pain at the site of the injury is usually the only symptom. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) may be prescribed in these cases. It’s not recommended to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil) or aspirin (Bayer). Any bleeding can be aggravated by these. A doctor may suture or staple an open wound. After that, a bandage will be applied.
No matter how minor your injury seems, you must monitor it to prevent it from worsening. After you’ve suffered a head injury, you shouldn’t avoid going to sleep. However, you should be checked for new symptoms every two hours or so. Any new or worsening symptoms should be reported to your doctor. If you have suffered a serious head injury, you may need to be hospitalized. Depending on your diagnosis, you will receive different treatments at the hospital.
In severe cases of head trauma, the following treatments may be offered:
You may be prescribed anti-seizure medication if you have suffered a severe brain injury. In the week following your injury, you’re at risk for seizures. If your injury has caused pressure to build up in your brain, you may need diuretics. Diuretics increase fluid excretion. The pressure may be relieved to some extent in this way. In severe cases, you may be put into an induced coma with medication. If your blood vessels are damaged, this treatment may be appropriate. Coma decreases your brain’s need for oxygen and nutrients.
You may need emergency surgery to prevent further brain damage. It may be necessary for your doctor to perform an operation to remove a hematoma, repair your skull, and/or release some of the pressure in your skull. Our surgeons Dr. Manuel Soto and Dr. Surbhi Jain of Florida Surgery Consultants treat such injuries.
You’ll probably need rehabilitation if you have suffered a serious brain injury. Based on the degree of disability caused by your injury, the type of rehabilitation you receive will vary. A person who has suffered a brain injury may need assistance with mobility and speech.
Contact Florida Surgery Consultants if you’ve suffered a brain injury. Schedule a consultation so we can help you quickly get on the road to recovery.