Traumatic brain injury is a head injury that results from sudden trauma which causes brain cell destruction or degeneration. Types of head injury include contusions or bruising of the brain and intracranial hemorrhage or heavy bleeding in the skull. This could be caused by a closed head injury such as being hit on the head with a blunt object or penetrating head injury or when an object penetrates through the skull damaging brain tissues. Most head injury cases with people under 75 years old are caused by vehicular accidents, while a majority of cases involving people over 75 years old are caused by falls. Such injuries can also be caused by other conditions such as a stroke, meningitis or anoxia. The brain's cerebral hemispheres, cerebellum and brain stem could be damaged at different extents. The symptoms of such damage can be classified as mild, moderate or severe. There are varying effects to these symptoms. These can range from the patient's full recovery, partial disability, and temporary disability to permanent disability and death. Some symptoms of head injury are immediately evident although some may only be noticed weeks or even months after the injury. In cases of mild head injury, the patient experiences headaches, lightheadedness, dizziness, mental confusion, ringing in the ears, fatigue, a change in sleeping patterns, behavioral or mood changes and trouble with memory, concentration, attention or thinking. These symptoms will either get better or worsen, depending on the extent of the injury. Patients who suffer from moderate and severe head injuries may also show these symptoms along with loss of consciousness, nausea, personality changes, seizures, slurred speech, loss of coordination, dilation of one or both pupils, restlessness, extreme agitation, weakness or numbness of extremities or hands and feet and inability to waken. Most patients who suffer from severe head injuries are observed to have cognitive disabilities and different levels of consciousness. These vary from stupor, coma and a persistent vegetative stage to locked-in syndrome and brain death. |
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