Have you wondered what happens if your brain is injured? Have you considered the possibility of taking medications for the rest of your life due to brain injuries?
The occurrence of unexpected activities may at times affect the human brain causing a condition called Traumatic brain damage.
This article serves as a guide to help us understand the concept of traumatic brain injury better.
How then do we describe traumatic brain injury?
This is a condition that causes the dysfunction of the brain as a result of a violent blow to the head. In most instances, the condition is caused by unexpected occurrences such as accidents.
The injury can be categorized into two:
Penetrating the skull injury
This is referred to as an injury that is caused by the penetration of an instrument to the inside parts of the head causing damage to the brain.
Non-penetrating traumatic brain injury
These types of injuries occur as a result of the head being hit by a violent force causing the misalignment of the brain tissues. Among the circumstances that they can occur are accidents, and hard falls among others.
What results in traumatic brain injuries?
Having recognized that the condition is a result of hitting the head with an object causing the dysfunction of the human brain, it is important to note that there are various circumstances under which one can get the condition.
Discussed below are the various circumstances under which one can get the condition:
Car accidents
car accidents are considered as events that occur in our normal lives. They occur as a result of different causes.
When an accident occurs, the vehicle normally hits the subject or surface with so much impact causing damage. With the head being one of the hit body parts, it can result in traumatic brain damage.
General falls
Research has shown that falling from the top of an object is a big cause of traumatic brain injury. When one falls from surfaces such as double-decker beds, roofs, or from a moving vehicle, the head is normally hit so hard which can result in traumatic brain injury.
Explosions
This is common in jurisdictions that are allowed to use nuclear weapons without extra limitations.
Mostly brains exposed to these blasts exhibit significant, potentially damaging changes causing traumatic brain injuries. This is mostly experienced in areas that are prone to wars and conflicts.
Sports
In the course of playing sports, most people end up getting injured due to the force used in playing the game. Among the many conditions that they face is traumatic brain injury.
Brutality
This applies to individuals who have faced brutality in the course of their lives. For instance, children who have grown up in abusive environments.
Signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injuries
Traumatic brain injury is a condition that affects the physical but is also evident in the inner form of the human body. The signs of someone who is suffering from the condition can be seen in different aspects, which include:
- > Physical aspect
- > Emotional aspect
- > Neurological aspect
- > Physical aspect
Physically, one can be having signs such as; headaches, nausea, lack of strength, difficulty in maintaining body balance, and vomiting.
Emotional aspect
Emotionally, one can have signs such as; confusion, loss of memory, difficulty sleeping and waking up, and mood swings among other signs.
Neurological aspect
In the neurological aspect, one can possess signs such as; sensitivity to light, difficulty in processing thoughts, sensory problems, and going into a coma among other signs.
A guide on how you can deal with the condition
Traumatic brain injuries may have long-term effects if not treated early. For severe damage, one might be required to learn how to live with the condition as they take some steps to manage it.
Below is a guide that one can follow to help them maintain the condition:
Seek medical attention
Seeking medical attention will enable you to understand the intensity of your condition. This will help you treat the condition before the damage is severe and beyond treatment.
Seek therapy
For the physical damages caused by the condition, one can seek therapy to help them for instance, have their muscles exercised so as to regain their normal body operations.
Take your medications religiously
As a brain traumatic injury victim, it is highly recommended that you follow the doctor’s instructions pertaining the medication that you are supposed to take.
This will enable you to manage the pain that comes with the condition, enabling you to carry out your day-to-day activities normally.
In some instances, depending on the progress of the condition, one is required to change the medication so as to maintain the condition better.
Seek psychological counselling
Mostly, traumatic brain injuries leave you mentally broken resulting to post traumatic depressions. So as to avoid that, it is important that you seek counselling to enable you handle the situation without losing your mind.
Avoiding living alone
The common saying, ‘isolating yourself when sick, does no good but magnifies the situation,’ applies to traumatic brain injuries as well.
It is advisable that to avoid the emotional turmoil that comes with having the condition, one should avoid isolating themselves.
Instead, you can engage in simple activities such as group cooking, and watching Television with your friends, among other activities.
Ask for assistance
Traumatic brain injury normally comes with an isolation factor, where victims avoid interacting with other people. Considering the intensity of the condition, this brings out a very big challenge since most victims can hardly do things independently.
It is therefore advisable that victims should seek any form of assistance from their families and closest friends. This acts as a very effective management strategy for the said condition.
How the condition affects the victim for a long time
Traumatic brain injury is among the conditions that end up affecting the victims for a longer time. The condition affects the physical, emotional, and financial aspects of the individual.
Some of the long-term consequences of the condition are:
Physical limitations
The condition normally affects the physical capabilities of someone such as movement, body balance, and performing of tasks. In as much as most physical limitations can be treated at the earlier stage, others take a very long time before they regain normalcy.
Emotional challenges
More than half of all people who suffer a traumatic brain injury will become depressed in the year after the injury. This leads to them having an emotional breakdown that makes it so difficult for them to regain normalcy.
Beyond treatment
The treatment of traumatic brain injuries goes beyond the hospital. It also involves dealing with the underlying causes of the condition, ensuring that you get the justice that you deserve.
For instance, if your condition was as a result of an accident, you can pursue a traumatic brain injury claim against the person who caused the accident.
This will ensure that as you continue treating the condition in Hospital, you are also getting the justice and compensation that you deserve.
Conclusion
Traumatic brain injury is among the most dangerous condition that affects the neurosensory system. Therefore, it is prudent that you take all the measures to ensure that you are treating and managing it based on your doctor’s instructions.