Brain Damage: Signs to Look for After Experiencing a Head Trauma
When it comes to brain injuries, it’s important to be able to detect them early. The longer they go undetected, these injuries become severe and even fatal.
Brain injuries occur for a myriad of reasons. Commonly, they’re brought on by direct head traumas. They can also be triggered by whiplash and other sudden back and forth head motions.
Keep in mind, that mild injury symptoms can appear right away or may take some time to develop. The better understanding you have of what to expect, the greater your chances of seeking professional help and making a proper recovery. Here are some common signs of brain injuries to look out for.
Symptoms of Mild Brain Injury
When you or a loved one have experienced head trauma, you’ll want to look for some signs of the severity. Fortunately, the majority of these cases are mild. However, there are some unpleasant symptoms that your brain is injured.
For example, you may experience dizziness or “see stars” after head trauma. Typically, head injuries knock inner ear crystals into other areas, causing disorientation and confusion. If the accident causes your head to jerk in opposing directions, you’re vulnerable to vertigo, which makes you feel like you’re moving even if you’re standing still.
That motion-related disorientation can lead to other symptoms like nausea and vomiting. Depending on how bad the trauma is, you may have a lingering headache.
If you’ve hit your ear, you may also experience a ringing sensation or impairment. Also, you could have impaired vision or sensitivity to light after the accident.
Additionally, you may have trouble with your memory. The inability to remember specific details of the accident or confusion is normal among people with mild brain injuries because of trauma to the brain structures responsible for memory performance. Until you recover, you may experience memory loss.
Since your brain also impacts your coordination, don’t be alarmed if your balance is off for a while you’re healing. The same applies to your speech.
What to Do After a Brain Injury
Once you’ve suffered any form of head trauma, you should always seek medical attention immediately following the accident. Even if the previously mentioned symptoms haven’t shown up, that doesn’t mean you don’t have brain damage. Taking too long leaves the most vulnerable groups especially susceptible to worsened symptoms like falling into a vegetative state and brain death.
If you’ve been involved in an accident and you weren’t at fault, taking legal action is important. Hiring traumatic brain injury lawyers entitles you to damages due to lost wages or extensive medical bills.
Remember, even mild brain injuries can lead to irreparable damage. Immediately after an accident or sports-related injury, always make sure you watch for symptoms and seek help immediately. The right medical and legal counsel can make a world of difference in getting your life back on track during and after your recovery.
