Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury and When To Consult a Neurologist
Traumatic brain injuries are serious conditions that must be treated quickly by a neurologist in Brooklyn, NY, but some people don’t go to the doctor after injuring their head. Though you may look and feel fine, traumatic brain injury symptoms may show up later and negatively impact your day-to-day life.
Visit us at Metro Healthcare Partners in Brooklyn, NY, after you injure your head. You may think it a small bump isn’t worthy of concern, but seemingly minor injuries like concussions can still negatively affect your life years after the incident, according to a study published in the NeuroImage journal.
Types of Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injuries come in many forms. The type of injury you have will affect your treatment plan.
Primary Brain Injury
A primary brain injury happens at the time of injury. If you hit your head in a car accident, injuries happen as soon as your head impacts a hard surface. No more damage occurs after the collision is completed.
Secondary Brain Injury
A secondary brain injury will continue to develop over time. A secondary brain injury comes after the primary brain injury.
Your brain will undergo many changes, often in the tissues or at the cellular level. These changes are the secondary injury, and you may not notice the symptoms right away.
Closed Brain Injury
If your skull doesn’t crack open at the time of impact, you have received a closed brain injury. This means that the injury occurred inside your skull, likely due to the brain shaking and hitting the inside walls of the skull.
Closed brain injuries are common among car crash victims and athletes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 70% of concussions in young athletes occurred due to making contact with another player.
Penetrating Brain Injury
Penetrating brain injuries occur when the skull is broken during impact. Bullet wounds are a major cause of penetrating brain injury.
Though it may sound worse than closed brain injuries, both are causes for concern and should be treated with the same sense of urgency.
Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI)
A diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is when the nerve fibers tear as the brain rotates and moves around. This injury will typically leave you in a coma. This type of brain injury is also difficult to locate on brain scans.
What Are the Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury?
Several incidents can cause a traumatic brain injury:
- Inner Bruising: If the brain is shaken around and hits the inside of the skull, it could result in a traumatic brain injury.
- Car Crashes: Car crashes can cause injuries to drivers and passengers inside the vehicle when their heads knock around and hit a hard surface. Inner bruising may also occur. Pedestrians may also receive a brain injury if their head impacts with the vehicle or the ground.
- Falling: Slipping and falling can result in a traumatic brain injury if you hit your head on the way down.
- Physical Violence: Any physical violence, whether it’s in the form of abuse or friendly competition in a football game, can result in a brain injury if the head is struck with too much force.
Know When To Seek Medical Attention
According to the CDC, there were more than 233,000 non-fatal TBI-related hospitalizations in the U.S. The most common injuries requiring hospitalization were car crashes and falls. So if you’ve been in a car wreck or had a bad fall, you’ll likely need prompt medical care.
If you bump your head pretty hard but remain alert with minimal pain, how do you know when to seek medical attention? You should consult a neurologist any time you hit your head just to be safe, but especially if you see any changes in your physical or mental abilities.
Cognitive Symptoms
Cognitive and mental changes are the telltale signs that you need to see a neurologist. Schedule a visit immediately if you notice:
- Forgetfulness or amnesia
- Confusion
- Difficulty focusing
- Difficulty multitasking
- Difficulty making decisions and judgments
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Anger and aggression
- Apathy or no motivation
Physical Symptoms
Physical symptoms are also common in traumatic brain injuries:
- Seizures
- Numbness
- Drooping face
- Can’t control face
- Cramps
- Muscle spasms
- Tremors or twitching
- Pain, such as shocking or burning sensations
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
Sensory Symptoms
After injuring your brain, you may notice:
- Visual changes, like blurry or double vision
- Changes in hearing, such as hearing loss
- Depth perception issues
Social Symptoms
You may not think of social symptoms as related to a brain injury. However, some injuries can severely affect your ability to behave as expected in social situations. You may experience:
- Misunderstanding or not recognizing social cues
- Difficulty speaking, reading, and writing
- Slow to understand others speaking
- Forgetting simple tasks
- Difficulty maintaining relationships
Functional Symptoms
If you experienced one of the common causes of traumatic brain injury, you may notice your basic functions are impaired or greatly affected:
- Unconsciousness or coma
- Vertigo
- Imbalance
- Moving slowly
- Paralysis
- Difficulty swallowing
- Taking longer to plan or make movements
Finding a Neurologist Near Me
If you experience any of these symptoms following head trauma, visit us in Brooklyn, NY. You can also contact your primary care physician to receive a referral to a neurologist or go to the emergency room for immediate care.
Visit Metro Healthcare Partners When You Need a Neurologist
Metro Healthcare Partners is here for all your neurological concerns, whether you’re seeing a neurologist for a migraine or a traumatic brain injury. If you recently experienced one of the causes of traumatic brain injury, give us a call at (718) 568-5239 to schedule a consultation. We may also be able to help you with walk-in services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common cause of traumatic brain injury?
Falls are one of the most common causes of traumatic brain injury, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Do neurologists treat traumatic brain injury?
Yes, neurologists treat traumatic brain injury as well as other neurological disorders and conditions.
What is the life expectancy of someone with a TBI?
According to the CDC, a person’s life expectancy shortens by nine years after a severe TBI.