Traumatic brain injury

Brain injuries are a serious matter and require immediate medical attention. Seeing stars after a bump to your head is common. However, serious symptoms may not be visible right away and are a cause for concern and could indicate a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

If you suddenly feel less coordinated, are having difficulty remembering simple things or thinking clearly, or friends or family say you’re not acting the same, you should see your doctor right away.

Trust Aurora Health Care’s team of expert neurologists for proper diagnosis and treatment for TBI. We provide the most up-to-date testing methods and the latest treatment options to help you recover from a traumatic brain injury.

Types of brain injuries

A traumatic brain injury is an injury to the brain that occurs from trauma to the head, such as a bump or blow, that causes damage.

TBIs can range in severity from mild to severe and are often classified into one of two groups based on the impact on cognitive, physical and emotional functioning.

The two groups are open (penetrating) injuries or closed injuries. Within these two groups, there are several types of traumatic brain injuries, including:

• Concussions: This is the most common type of TBI and happens when the brain collides with the skull due to impact.
• Contusions: These often happen with a concussion. A contusion is bruising on the brain.
• Brain hemorrhage: This is uncontrolled bleeding on the surface of the brain.
• Diffuse axonal injury (DAI): This is one of the most severe types of TBI. This injury occurs when the brain is shaken or twisted inside the skull.
• Penetrating brain jury: This is an injury when an object penetrates the skull and brain.
• Second impact syndrome: This is also known as a recurrent TBI and occurs when you suffer a second traumatic brain injury. This type of brain injury is a medical emergency and requires immediate treatment.

Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury

Recognizing symptoms of a traumatic brain injury is vital to getting proper treatment and minimizing long-term complications.

While symptoms can vary widely, some common symptoms of a TBI include:

• Physical: Headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, balance problems, coordination difficulties and seizures
• Cognitive: Memory problems, confusion, difficulty thinking clearly, speech difficulties and trouble concentrating
• Emotional: Mood swings, irritability, depression, anxiety and sleep disturbances

Diagnosing a traumatic brain injury

Your Aurora neuro specialist will use the Glasgow Coma Scale, which is a 15-point screening that helps your care team assess the severity of your injury. It provides an objective way to check a person’s consciousness.

After a head injury, your doctor will order a CT scan or MRI depending on the seriousness of your condition. These imaging tests provide great insight on the severity of your traumatic brain injury.

CT scans are often used in emergency cases and will show any fractures, bleeding, bruising, swelling or blood clots.

MRIs are used in non-emergency situations or after your condition has stabilized. Doctors may also check for swelling by assessing pressure in your skull.

Treatment options for a traumatic brain injury

Mild brain injuries are typically treated with rest and over-the-counter pain relievers to ease your headaches. You should have friends or family members regularly check on you to make sure your symptoms are not getting worse.

Your doctor will let you know when it’s safe to get back to your normal activities.

Moderate and severe brain injuries usually require intensive care. Your doctors will monitor you and may prescribe medications to limit additional brain damage.

If you have severe brain damage, you could need emergency surgery. It can take time to fully heal from these types of brain injuries, but brain rehabilitation therapy such as physical, speech or occupational therapy may help limit long-term symptoms.

Preventing a traumatic brain injury

You cannot fully eliminate the risk of a traumatic brain injury, but you can take several safety precautions to reduce your chances of having a TBI happen to you.

Some prevention measures include:

• Buckling up every time you drive or ride in a vehicle.
• Not driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Installing grab bars and removing tripping hazards at home, especially if there are children or older adults in the home.
• Improving lighting in stairwells and walkways.
• Using non-slip mats in bathrooms and kitchens.
• Wearing appropriate helmets and protective gear for any activity that carries a risk of head injury, such as cycling, skating, skiing, skateboarding and contact sports.
• Using recommended head protection while working in environments with falling objects or other head injury risks.