Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI):
Information on Head Injuries
Your brain, a three-pound ball of neurons that is about 2% of an adult’s body weight, sits at the top of the body like a throne. With the ability to store information equivalent to ranging in the millions of gigabytes, the human brain is a complex organ containing trillions of connections. It has the ability to regulate blood pressure, release hormones as it sees fit, perceive the world around you, regulate emotions, recall childhood memories, predict future events, process complex information, create dreams while you sleep, and all while having the lyrics to songs on constant repeat. However, as important as the brain may be it is very vulnerable to damage.
Your brain sits inside of your skull with only about 8 millimeters between your skull and the surface of your brain. This means that although there is a protective layer of fluid around your brain, it doesn’t take much to injure your brain.
The brain is often moved around in your head during daily activities, sometimes there is an abrupt movement that causes the brain to shift but lacks the force to injure the brain, an example would be a sneeze. However, when there is an event that causes an injury to the brain that now disrupts its functions, this is a Traumatic event. Should an event cause an injury to the brain, this is called a Traumatic Brain Injury or TBI.
Concussion:
One of the most common TBIs is a concussion. A concussion happens when the brain undergoes a traumatic event and is “tossed” around inside of your skull. The effects of concussions are constantly being studied, and while there are many side effects of concussions many people have similar acute effects. When the brain gets injured and the lobes become damaged, normal brain functions cease for the brain to regain its normal abilities. Sometimes it is easy to think of it as having a quick reset like you would do on your phone (without it completely shutting off.)
In most concussions, the brain hits a single side of the skull, either on the side of the impact or on the opposite side. However, in more aggressive and impactful situations, a coup contrecoup injury is sustained. This type of brain injury is when the brain “bounces” off one side of the skull and hits the other. This is a very dangerous TBI and could have potentially long-lasting effects. This particular TBI trauma causes chemical and physical changes in the brain to varying degrees.
Concussions are thought to only occur during athletic events, but they can happen anytime there is a force strong enough to affect the head’s position. If you are in a car accident and you get hit from behind, the physics involved will increase the chances of a coup-contrecoup brain injury. After the impact, your head is thrown forward so quickly that your brain initially hits the back of your skull. Your seatbelt will lock and prevent you from flying forward, putting “brakes” on your moving head. The brain is then sent forward from the jarring of the skull and is then slammed into the front part of your skull. This means that in a single accident, your brain could potentially suffer an injury in the front and back sections, known as the frontal and occipital lobes of the brain.
Some symptoms of a concussion show up immediately, and some may show up over time, however, all concussions are serious despite the severity of symptoms. It is important to note, that if a concussion is suspected, medical attention should be sought. If undiagnosed and untreated, concussions could lead to potentially worse symptoms or conditions.
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Second Impact Syndrome
Second Impact Syndrome (SIS) is a condition in which a patient suffers a second concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) before fully recovering from the first. This could lead to potentially fatal results or paralysis. SIS is uncommon, but only if the first impact has been properly diagnosed and treated. If the first concussion is not treated, and the victim continues daily life as normal, someone could suffer from a second concussion from an accident or from playing sports. SIS is then more likely to occur and could potentially be devastating.
CTE
CTE or Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, is a condition in which a specific protein in the brain begins to harden parts of the brain. CTE can lead to long-term effects on the brain. Many people believe that CTE happens after suffering from many concussions, but it has been seen that a single concussion could potentially cause CTE symptoms later in life. Some reasons for CTE are unknown, and studies around CTE are currently being conducted. However, many researchers are finding the detrimental effects of CTE on quality of life, neuro processes, decision-making, mood disorders, and motor control.
Brain injuries, concussions, and the like are not to be taken lightly. If you or someone you know has been affected by a brain injury, consult one of our attorneys today.
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