Many traumatic brain injuries are closed brain injuries. This means that there isn’t external damage, such as a penetrating item or even a skull fracture. The brain is still completely encased in the skull, but the injury has occurred all the same.
Often, the way that this happens is when someone goes through a violent, traumatic movement, such as during a car accident. Say that a person gets rear-ended at a stoplight. Their head snaps backward against the seat behind them. Inside their skull, the brain moves rapidly back and forth, impacting the interior walls of the skull. This can lead to significant injury and brain damage, even though there may not be any external evidence of that injury.
What type of symptoms could this cause?
The exact symptoms a person suffers after a traumatic brain injury are going to be unique to their case. It depends on how severe the injury is, and it often depends on both the type of injury and the portion of the brain that has been affected. But some potential symptoms could include:
- Loss of consciousness
- Memory issues
- Headaches
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Trouble with balance and motor skills
- Mood swings or irritability
- Sensitivity to light and sounds
One thing that people should be wary of is if symptoms like these are getting worse with time, rather than healing. What sometimes happens in a closed head injury is that there is bleeding within the brain tissues or the protective tissues surrounding the brain. This can cause increasing pressure within the skull, which can be a very dangerous and potentially fatal condition.
As such, those who have been injured need to seek medical attention. If the injury was due to someone else’s negligence, they may also need to know how to seek financial compensation.