Traumatic Brain Injuries Change You.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) can occur in many ways: through a car accident, a fall, a sports injury, even birth. Whatever the cause of the brain injury, how a body reacts will vary from person to person, but there are certain brain functions that are likely to suffer the most trauma and affect the rest of the way your body and mind operate.
How a TBI Affects Brain Function
Some people experience mild, temporary damage to their brain function after a TBI, others suffer severe and permanent changes. No matter the intensity of the TBI, there are costs associated with recovery, and these can include everything from medical bills to lost wages. Depending on the intensity of the brain injury, there are common brain functions that are most likely to feel the greatest effect of the trauma and make the biggest obvious impact on your life:
- Your senses will change.
One of the biggest side effects of a TBI is the way your senses shut down. When the nervous system is affected by traumatic brain injuries, vision problems can develop, including double vision or a loss of vision. The sense of smell can be affected. You may have trouble swallowing. And there may be a loss of sensation in the face if the nerves at the base of the skull are damaged. - You won’t think the same.
When you’re used to your brain working a certain way, it can be jarring to realize that you can no longer pluck a word readily from your memory, express yourself clearly, or multitask. Impairment to the brain’s cognitive functions are not easily recognized in a TBI sufferer, at least not immediately, but they can include difficulty completing tasks, making decisions, concentrating, problem solving, and organizing. Some victims of a TBI explain the feeling as a heaviness that impacts their ability to process information or access memories. - Communicating will become a struggle.
Even if you’ve never been the most verbal person, a TBI can render some people speechless. Losing communication ability can negatively impact not only your personal life but your professional life as well, making it impossible to complete tasks, carry on a conversation, organize your thoughts, or understand other people. - Your emotions will be all over the place.
Mood swings are not unusual after a head injury. The prescription for recovery from even a minor head injury can feel extreme – dark rooms, no reading, no TV, no smartphone – and these instructions can be isolating and difficult to honor, putting a kink in healing. The frustration of having to deal with a TBI is difficult enough, but the brain’s mood centers are often impacted by the trauma, leading to anxiety, irritability, depression, anger, and more. - You may not act like yourself.
When normal brain function is interrupted, who you are is fundamentally altered. Recognizing the change is easy, once you know what to look for. Many TBI sufferers exhibit risky behavior, impulsiveness, unexplained outbursts, lack of self-control, and aggression. Behavioral changes point to serious head trauma.
Getting Compensation for Traumatic Brain Injuries
While the person who suffers the head injury will struggle, the people who love them will encounter difficulties too. A severe TBI can be debilitating, and even a minor TBI can be life-altering. Changed behavior and abilities can turn victims into different people, and this can affect relationships personally, socially, and professionally.
People who suffer traumatic brain injuries have lost jobs, marriages, friendships, and more, all because of compromised brain function, often in situations where the injury could have been prevented, like a car accident. Recognizing the signs of a TBI is a critical part of recovery, and too often a TBI is overlooked or misdiagnosed. If you have suffered a TBI because of a car accident or other preventable situation, contact Thurswell Law for a free consultation to discuss your case. We do not charge any fees unless you collect. Call (248) 354-2222 today.
