Uncovering the hidden symptoms, what you need to know, and how it can impact your life
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a form of acquired brain injury that occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. It can result from a violent blow or jolt to the head or body. Or a fall, an assault, or a car accident. It can affect a person’s physical, cognitive, and emotional abilities. TBI can have many consequences and can happen to anyone at any time. The severity of a TBI can range from mild to severe. It can result in long-term physical, cognitive, and behavioral changes. Understanding the causes, symptoms, and treatments of TBI is essential to provide the best care and support to those who have experienced it.
Brain injuries can vary depending on the position of the head and body at time of injury and where the injury occurred within the brain. Depending on the area of trauma and the severity, there could be permanent or temporary damage and partial or complete disability. Read on to learn more about the signs of a TBI. We’ll explore the following various deficits: 1) motor, 2) perceptual, 3) cognitive, 4) sensory, 5) communication and language, and finally, 6) functional.
1) Motor Deficits
TBIs can be caused by damaging brain tissue, typically called a cerebral contusion. This contusion is the leading factor in many motor deficiencies. Interestingly, we can see the impact on different body parts depending on the damaged area of the brain. For example, the motor cortex governs the arms and legs, while the occipital lobe controls the eyes. Having the tissue and nerves damaged in these areas could make a TBI victim experience the following symptoms:
- Paralysis;
- Loss of fine motor skills (like buttoning a shirt);
- Difficulty walking, talking, or swallowing;
- Spasticity (muscle stiffness) or uncontrolled movements; and
- Vision problems
2) Perceptual Deficits
Next is perceptual deficiencies. Visual perception deficit describes people who struggle with interpreting visual information. It is also often called visual processing disorder or VPD. It does not mean someone with this disability is entirely blind. It just means their brain has difficulty understanding and processing what it sees. Some individuals may have been born with this condition, while others might develop it from a TBI. The symptoms associated with this condition may include:
- Blurred vision
- Diplopia (double vision)
- Involuntary eye movements
- Partial or total loss of vision
- Photophobia (extreme sensitivity and aversion to light); and
- Loss of depth perception (Problems judging distance)
3) Cognitive Deficits:
Cognition means being aware or having the capacity to think. TBI can have an impact on an array of cognitive functions, such as:
- Confusion and disorientation
- Difficulties with attention, concentration, or focusing
- Difficulty with comprehending language
- Easily distracted
- Impulsiveness
- Memory problems
- Problems with executive functions; and
- A slower rate of processing information
4) Sensory Deficits
The brain controls almost all of one’s motor and sensory functions. Depending on the damaged area of the brain, a person may encounter several sensory issues after experiencing a TBI. It is vital to note that these difficulties may affect only one body zone or the whole body. These sensory issues may comprise:
- Decline or loss of hearing
- Difficulty integrating and understanding information gained through the five senses
- Difficulty in recognizing movement and position of the arms and legs
- Difficulty in detecting temperature
- Enhanced sensitivity or intolerance to sounds
- Loss of or diminished sense of taste and smell; and
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
5) Communication & Language Deficits
TBIs may alter a person’s ability to communicate. People experience such changes in different ways. But, as noted above, it varies depending on the area of the brain that has been damaged and the severity of the injury. Symptoms may include:
- Aggression
- Lack of awareness
- Depression
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Lack of inhibition (self-control or reserve); and
- Lack of motivation
Furthermore, if the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain have been injured, the individual may experience language problems. Such as:
- Aphasia (impairment of expression and understanding of language as well as reading and writing)
- Slurred speech; and
- Speaking at an unusually fast or slow pace.
6) Functional Deficits
People with a TBI can find it challenging to carry out everyday activities. Possible issues they may encounter include:
- Changes in appetite
- Chronic pain
- Difficulty regulating body temperature
- Difficulty swallowing
- Hormonal changes
- Lack of control of bowel and bladder functions
- Decreased stamina
- Physical paralysis or spasticity
- Seizures; and
- Sleep disorders
Our traumatic brain injury law firm is available to meet with you. We wish to assist you if a traumatic accident led to the diagnosis of a concussion or another type of TBI in you or a loved one. In addition, we want to ensure that you obtain the high-quality medical attention you require and that you are awarded the highest financial compensation. So get in touch with us immediately, and we will use our experience and skill to help you on the path to recovery. Call 1-833-TONALAW or contact us on the web to arrange a free assessment of your case.
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