Brain Injuries

A traumatic brain injury is defined as a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the function of the brain.  Of the more than 1.4 million people who sustain a traumatic brain injury each year in the United States:

• 50,000 die;
  
• 235,000 are hospitalized; and
  
• 1.1 million are treated and released from an emergency department.*

Severe brain injuries can result from what appear to be minor incidents. The leading causes of traumatic brain injury are:

• Falls (28%);
• Motor vehicle-traffic crashes (20%);
• Struck by/against (19%); and
• Assaults (11%).*

In general there are two types of brain injuries, open and closed. When a person suffers an open head injury it means there is a fracture and the skull is out of place or displaced. A closed head injury does not involve the fracturing of the skull. However it is very important to understand that a closed brain injury can in fact be more serious due to the risk of brain swelling or blood clots forming inside the skull. Brain injuries resulting from a closed or open head injury, can result in coma, physical, cognitive, and/or behavioral impairments and even death. Symptoms that may indicate a brain injury include:

• Headache;
• Fatigue;
• Sleep disturbance;
• Irritability;
• Sensitivity to noise or light;
• Balance problems;
• Decreased concentration and attention span;
• Decreased speed of thinking;
• Memory problems;
• Nausea;
• Depression and anxiety and;
• Emotional mood swings.

If you or someone you know has any of the described symptoms, medical attention should be sought immediately.

* Langlois JA, Rutland-Brown W, Thomas KE. Traumatic brain injury in the United States: emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control; 2004.