Imagine stopping at a red light as you drive home from work. Suddenly, another car speeds by and crashes into your car. The impact sends your head crashing into your steering wheel. Now, as you sit there in the driver’s seat dazed and confused, you wonder: is this a concussion or could it be something more serious?
In situations like this, understanding the difference between a concussion and a traumatic brain injury (TBI) could save your life. Knowing which injury you are dealing with can help you get the right treatment at the right time.
Identifying traumatic brain injuries
A traumatic brain injury occurs when an external force disrupts your brain’s normal function. Think of your brain as a delicate computer floating in fluid inside your skull. When your head takes a hit, the liquid moves and your brain can slam against the inside of your skull, causing damage.
A proper brain injury diagnosis starts with recognizing what symptoms you have. Moreover, TBI symptoms can usually range from mild to severe depending on the impact of the crash. Hence, identifying these symptoms of traumatic brain injury can signal you when to seek immediate medical attention:
- Severe and persistent headaches
- Profound confusion or slurred speech
- Recurring nausea and vomiting
- Seizures or convulsions
- Weakness of upper and lower extremities
- Memory loss and inability to concentrate
- Sudden mood and behavioral changes
These warning signs indicate serious brain injury that requires immediate medical care. Understanding these severe symptoms can help you differentiate them from milder injuries like concussion.
How it differs from concussions
Concussions are actually considered as a type of traumatic brain injury. They are often the mildest and most common type of TBI. It happens when a crash or a sudden impact causes the brain to move around inside the skull rapidly.
While this mild movement does not slam the brain against the skull, it causes the brain to move and shake, potentially damaging fragile nerve cells and blood vessels. Fortunately, most concussions don’t usually cause permanent damage if you treat them properly. Thus, here are symptoms to watch out for in a concussion:
- Mild or tension headaches
- Dizziness
- Balance problems
- Blurred vision
- Sensitivity to light
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Increased irritability
Understanding these warning signs and how concussions differ from TBI allows you to get the proper head trauma treatment that best suits your unique case.
Getting the right care
Seek medical attention immediately after any head injury. A trained medical professional can properly diagnose your head trauma and prescribe the appropriate treatment plan that you need. However, to prevent long-term damage, it’s important to understand how to apply first aid while waiting for medical care, thereby avoiding further injury.
For mild concussions, rest is your most powerful tool. Having both physical and mental rest helps you recover faster. Thus, try to avoid screens, strenuous activities and other mentally or emotionally demanding tasks while your brain heals.
On the other hand, a TBI might require more extensive medical attention. These include surgeries, medications, and rehabilitation services. Since traumatic brain injuries can cause bleeding in the brain, brain swelling or skull fractures, it is always best to seek immediate emergency care.
Protect your brain’s health
Some brain injuries don’t show symptoms right away and delaying medical care can cause serious problems. Thus, you must get medical help right away, even for a minor injury.
If your head injury came from a car accident caused by another driver, you also have legal rights to protect. A lawyer specializing in brain injury cases can help you get paid while you focus on recovery. After all, you deserve the right medical care and fair compensation for your suffering.