How to Recognize and Treat Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Effectively?

People are suffering from brain injuries and trauma in their daily life routines. A football tackle, car accident, and unfortunate fall may be anything to cause head injuries. Also, people of all ages may suffer from head injuries that can damage the brain. Sometimes, these injuries become severe, and that’s why an on-time diagnosis becomes imperative for a timely cure. This blog explains how you can recognize traumatic brain injury to get effective treatment on time.

What is Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)?

Human head damage occurs when a sudden movement of the head and brain causes the brain to bounce in the skull. This damage is known as traumatic brain injury, and it breaks blood vessels, injures brain cells, and creates chemical changes. Basically, the severity of TBI ranges from mild concussion to severe brain trauma. If the person suffers from severe brain trauma that causes permanent disabilities. Here are the basic types of TBI that you must know.

• The first one is mild TBI, in which brain dysfunction with no evident damage on imaging scans.
• In moderate TBI, brain damage causes extended and prolonged symptoms that require medical treatment.
• Severe TBI is a threatening injury that results in memory loss, motor function issues, and cognitive impairment.

Thus, immediate medical attention is required if the person suffers from severe conditions. Despite this, it doesn’t mean patients take lightly other mile and moderate TBI because it might worsen over time.

Major Symptoms of TBI

You must get information about the major symptoms and signs of TBI. This will assist you in getting timely diagnoses and treatment. Also, if the person recognizes the symptoms in a timely manner, they can prevent severe TBI conditions. Here are the significant symptoms of TBI that everyone must know. Here are the major symptoms that a person experiences in mild TBI are:

• Ringing in the ears
• Memory impairment
• Blurred vision
• Behavioral changes
• Headache
• Confusion
• Dizziness

Apart from this, the moderate and severe TBI symptoms involve certain conditions, which are listed below for you.

• Repeated vomiting or nausea
• Weakness in the arms or leg
• Slurred speech
• Problems with thinking and learning
• Death

Common Causes Of TBI

TBI is the mental conditions that happen to anyone regardless of age and other factors. However, certain environments and activities increase the risk. Here are some of the most common causes of TBI that you need to be aware of.

Car and Motorbike Accidents

High-speed and rash driving crashes are among the leading causes of severe TBI. Even a person with airbags and seatbelts can cause brain trauma. Therefore, the majority of people who experience car and motorcycle accidents are suffering from severe brain injuries and issues. So, drive at a slow and average speed to avoid accidents that lead to critical brain injuries and damage.

Get Hit on the Skull in Sports Activities

Contact sports like boxing, rugby, football, and basketball can lead to massive concussions in the players. When players fall into sports activities and hit the ball from their heads, they have higher chances of brain damage. In addition, skateboarding, skiing, and cycling are also some extreme activities that pose risks.

Physical Violence and Assaults

Sometimes, domestic violence may also lead to TBI in a person’s head. Furthermore, gunshot wounds and fist fights can also cause TBI in people. Many babies suffer from shaken baby syndrome, which is a severe form of TBI, and it occurs in infants due to violent shaking.

Slip And Fall Accidents

Falling is also one of the major reasons that lead to TBI in people. According to the studies, falls are the major reason for around 40% of people leading TBI cases every year. Slip and fall incidents at stairs, at home, and in bathrooms are common factors, so be careful. Sometimes, TBI happens in people who suffer from falling objects in industries and workplaces. Thus, understand the causes, prevent yourself from TBIs, and take necessary safety precautions.

Ways To Diagnose TBI

There are many ways that experts use to diagnose TBI conditions in people who suffer from them.  Specialists and doctors use a combination of ways for the medical evaluation of the person.

• Neurological exams
• Imaging tests
• MRI scans
• Glow coma scale

In the neurological exams, doctors assess reflexes, coordination, cognitive functions, and memory. These things help them to understand any neurological disorders. Imaging tests are used to detect bleeding and fractures and examine tissues to recognize long-term damage.

Besides, some specialists and professionals use the Glasgow Coma Scale, which measures a patient’s level of consciousness on a scale of 3 to 15. Early diagnosis is imperative for the best course of treatment and monitoring of complications.

Immediate Treatment of Mild TBI

For immediate treatment of TBI at a mild level, specialists suggest the person rest and avoid physical exertion. They prescribe acetaminophen for pain relief. However, people need to prevent ibuprofen or aspirin medicines due to bleeding issues. They monitor the symptoms for worsening conditions like confusion and dizziness.

Best Practice to Treat the Moderate To Severe TBI

if the person suffers from moderate to severe TBI, hospitalization becomes imperative for close monitoring of elements. Doctors use oxygen therapy to maintain the brain functions. Sometimes, experts do surgery to remove the blood clots and relieve pressure in the brain. Moreover, they suggest medications to protect against seizures and brain swelling. Always try to get immediate interventions to prevent the complexation.

How To Prevent the Injuries?

Prevent yourself from brain-damaging issues by following the safety measures. Always wear protective gear like seat belts when driving to prevent accidents. Similarly, don’t forget to wear a helmet when playing contact sports, motorcycling, or biking.  Also, you can use anti-slip mates, handrails, and adequate lighting to prevent falls. Despite this, avoid diving into the shallow water and follow the guidelines while spotting activities like surfing and skiing. All these meticulous things save your life from any unexpected accident and brain injuries.

Wrapping Up Thoughts

So, the above discussion explains how a person can recognize traumatic brain injury conditions and get their treatments.  The early recognition of symptoms and treatment is mandatory to reduce the damage risk and escalate the recovery. Besides, the proper diagnosis using neurological tests and scans helps you to take the right treatment for rapid improvement. If the person engages in long-term rehabilitation, it increases the chances of full recovery. So, take preventive measures to avoid future TBI issues.