A traumatic brain injury often has serious, life-changing implications. It may impact a patient’s ability to hold down a job, drive or even communicate. It may, too, lead to serious emotional and psychological effects. TBIs often result from sudden, violent blows to the head. However, the symptoms associated with these injuries do not always show themselves until days or even weeks after an incident.
The symptoms someone suffers after a TBI caused by a car crash, a slip-and-fall accident or another type of event may vary based on the severity of the TBI. A patient’s symptoms may also give medical professionals and caregivers clues about what type of TBI the patient suffered.
Mild TBI symptoms
After a mild TBI, an individual may begin to experience headaches, fatigue, speech issues, dizziness, or nausea and vomiting, among other symptoms. A victim may also begin to experience sleep problems, sensory issues or uncharacteristic sensitivity to light or sound. A victim may also lose consciousness for a brief period after a mild TBI, but this is not always the case.
Moderate-to-severe TBI symptoms
When someone suffers a moderate or severe TBI, he or she may lose consciousness for several hours. In addition to the symptoms outlined above, a victim may also experience convulsions, seizures, weakness in the extremities or an inability to wake from sleep. A moderate-to-severe TBI sufferer may also experience slurred speech, profound confusion, depression, drowsiness or a failure to enjoy the things he or she once did.
When a loved one suffers a blow to the head and begins exhibiting any of these symptoms, it is wise to have that individual see a doctor.