Traumatic brain injuries or TBIs can be fatal or disabling. It refers to any damage to the brain that results from trauma. Usually, a mild TBI is diagnosed when you suffer from a concussion. If you have this brain injury, you may experience symptoms but recover after rest. But, a serious TBI will cause long-term symptoms and serious damage. If you suffer from a TBI because of the negligent action of another party, you should have a Salem Oregon personal injury lawyer representing you to ensure the at-fault party will compensate you fairly.
Causes of TBI
Vehicular accidents can cause serious or deadly TBIs. This injury can happen when your head hits a steering wheel, dashboard, headrest, or window. Also, you can have TBI due to whiplash, depending on how fast the car was traveling when the accident took place and the seriousness of the crash. Usually, a serious TBI occurs when your car crashes into a stationary object such as a concrete wall or tree. Any accidents that cause a violent blow to the head may cause a TBI. These include gunshot wounds, assaults, sports, unintentional falls.
During a serious accident, your head can take a violent and hard hit. When this happens, changes in chemicals and energy use occur in the brain. Because of these changes, you may experience headaches, confusion, or sensitivity to light or sound. Such changes are usually short in mild TBIs; they can last longer and lead to brain cell damage in more serious injuries.
How to Treat and Manage TBIs
If you have mild TBIs, you may just need minimal treatment. You may be asked by your doctor not to report to school, work, or sports for a short period, so you can rest. The symptoms you may experience usually improve within a few weeks. For serious TBIs, hospital care and extensive treatments are often necessary. Treatments for TBIs concentrate on improving your quality of life and relieving your symptoms.
- Rehabilitation. You may need physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy after you sustain a TBI.
- Counseling. This therapy offers you emotional support. Your recovery may make you feel stressed out and worried. And you may need to take more time off of work than you expected because of your injury. Counseling can help you get through these emotional troubles.
- Rest. Depending on the kind of TBI you suffered from, your doctor may tell you to rest for a day or two before you return to regular activities. You will need longer periods of rest if you have a serious TBI.
- Surgery. This procedure is necessary to treat brain bleeding or minimize pressure from brain swelling.