Brain injury is a serious concern that can have life-long effects. There are three classifications of traumatic brain injury – mild, moderate, and severe. Doctors diagnose the severity of a TBI based upon factors like whether the injury led to unconsciousness, how long the unconsciousness lasted (if it occurred), and how severe the related symptoms were.
Mild traumatic brain injury may affect your brain cells temporarily. More-serious traumatic brain injury can result in bruising, torn tissues, bleeding and other physical damage to the brain. These injuries can result in long-term complications or death.
Most TBIs are considered mild because most don’t lead to immediate, severe symptoms. But even mild TBIs can have serious and life-long effects. With any TBI, there is the potential for brain injury that can cause unconsciousness, memory loss (before or after the event), confusion, recall problems, difficulty learning new information, trouble speaking, balance and coordination problems, and hearing or vision problems. Experts also say that certain types of TBIs increase a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
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A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury to the
brain caused by a sudden force, blow, or jolt to the
head or by an object penetrating the brain. People
can get a TBI when there is some force that
reaches the brain, like:
An object hits the head, such as a bat or a fist
during a fight
The head hits an object, such as the
dashboard in a car accident or the ground in
a fall
A nearby blast or explosion rapidly moves a
person’s head
With a TBI, the brain’s normal functioning
changes, and people may:
Become suddenly confused
Have a gap in their memory
Lose consciousness briefly
Go into a coma
Cognitive, behavioral or mental symptoms
Loss of consciousness for a few seconds to a few minutes
No loss of consciousness, but a state of being dazed, confused or disoriented
Memory or concentration problems
Mood changes or mood swings
Feeling depressed or anxious
Difficulty sleeping
Sleeping more than usual
Moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries
Moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries can include any of the signs and symptoms of mild injury, as well as these symptoms that may appear within the first hours to days after a head injury:
Physical symptoms
Loss of consciousness from several minutes to hours
Persistent headache or headache that worsens
Repeated vomiting or nausea
Convulsions or seizures
Dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes
Clear fluids draining from the nose or ears
Inability to awaken from sleep
Weakness or numbness in fingers and toes
Loss of coordination
Each year, millions of older adults fall, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While one in four people fall, fewer than half tell their doctor. Falls are the most common causes of traumatic brain injury, but they can be prevented in older adults by doing the following:
Installing handrails in bathrooms and on both sides of a stairway
Removing tripping hazards, such as throw rugs and clutter
Improving lighting throughout your home
Maintaining regular activity for older adults
Using nonslip mats in the bathtub or shower floor
Getting regular eye exams
