Head injuries are one of the most terrifying things a person can experience, and this is especially true in cases of head injuries sustained in car accidents.
Every year in the United States, about three million people get non-fatally injured in motor vehicle accidents, and a large number of these cases are injuries to the brain. There are different types of brain injuries that can occur due to blunt force trauma to the head, and every traumatic brain injury has a different treatment.
Traumatic brain injuries are also known as TBIs. These multiple types of injuries have been listed below for your assistance, along with the ways to heal from them, such as medication and chiropractic.
Contents
Concussion
Concussions are one of the mildest forms of traumatic brain injuries, but they are also the ones that occur most frequently in cases of injuries sustained to the head. Statistics from an auto injury clinic say that around one in every four American citizens are reported to have suffered from a concussion in their life, with younger people more likely to suffer concussions due to driving recklessly or having a generally carefree lifestyle.
Mild concussions can cause a person to feel fatigued and dizzy, while also resulting in headaches and temporary changes in the metal state of a person. In these cases, bed rest is all that is required for the injured person to recover. But more serious cases can result in short term memory loss, nausea, long lasting headaches, and an inability to stay awake. In cases such as these, medical attention becomes mandatory and it is highly recommended to visit ones nearest hospital. For the most part, it takes around ten to fourteen days for the symptoms of a concussion to completely go away.
Diffuse Axonal Injury
Although concussions are the most commonly found head injuries generally, diffuse axonal injuries are the most common in cases of injuries sustained in car crashes. That is the case because unlike concussions, which are caused by the head bumping into something, diffuse axonal injuries are caused by a sudden force or jolt being applied to the brain and head. This sudden force causes the brain to abruptly and violently move inside the head, which can result in damage to the connections between the brain and the body. The brain is a delicate organ, and its fibers can be torn easily upon sudden impact, causing disturbing and permanent injuries. This is why in car accidents, when the car suddenly comes to a halt and the brain collide with the inside of the skull, the person is most likely to suffer a diffuse axonal injury. Unfortunately, people who suffer from diffuse axonal injuries usually end up in comas.
Contusion
A contusion is one of the more serious forms of traumatic brain injuries and refers to a bruise within the brain, though milder cases of cerebral contusions also exist which are not as dangerous. Contusions usually occur in car accidents when the head is hit by something on the outside, usually on impact with an object that is sharp or pointed. Twenty to thirty percent of serious head injuries are completely or partially cases of cerebral contusions. The symptoms of cerebral contusions include headaches, dizziness, confusion, seizures, vomiting, tinnitus, sleepiness, and loss of consciousness. Cerebral contusions can also eventually lead to a brain herniation, an extremely severe case of traumatic brain injury where the brain tissue leaks past the skull. Brain swelling is also a possible symptom, and it requires immediate medical attention. Coup and contrecoup injuries are subcategories of contusions, so they also obviously occur on the impact of an object with the head – when the brain suffers contusions on both of the opposite ends of the brain.
Open Head Injury
The most extreme form of traumatic brain injury occurs when an injury to the head results in a fractured or cracked skull along with a brain injury. Also known as a penetrating skull injury, it occurs when an object penetrates the skull and brain. Projectiles during a car accident have a high likelihood of causing an open head or penetrating brain injury, and the resultant swelling in the brain requires surgery for it to subside. Penetrating brain injuries are considered to be the worst case scenario for anyone to be in, and can result in death.
Acquired Brain Injury
Unlike aforementioned forms of traumatic brain injuries, acquired brain surgery does not result from an external force to the head, but occurs from within the body. Hypoxic and anoxic injuries are examples of acquired brain injuries, and they result in body malfunctions that hinder the provision of oxygen or blood to the brain. A continued lack of oxygen or blood to the brain can result in significant and long lasting effects, and can lead to the damaging or death of brain cells.
Since brain cells cannot be regenerated by the body once they die, this form of injury can result in lifelong problems for the person affected and also cause secondary brain injuries. Acquired brain injuries can also be caused by certain diseases, or an abuse of alcohol and drugs. Symptoms of acquired brain injury also include mental and physical fatigue, problems with the comprehension of basic information input to the brain, and inabilities to solve basic problems. It can also result in the affected person developing irregular personality patterns and behave unusually.
Treatments
Before any sort of treatment can be pursued, it has to be ensured that the correct diagnosis is performed by administering the required brain scans through trained professionals.
There are many different forms of traumatic brain injury treatments available worldwide. Emergency treatment after a brain injury consists of the removal and/ or prevention of blood clots in the brain to avert permanent brain damage, along with the repair of any fractures that might have occurred in the skull. Different medication is also necessary to prevent anxiety and blood clots, along with the removal of fluids from inside the brain and prevention of seizures, among other things.
The most important thing, apart from medical care, that anyone should do when they suffer brain surgery is getting an adequate amount of rest. Returning to a normal routine or performing tasks that are physical in nature can be very detrimental to the person’s health and should be avoided at all costs. Even tasks that require a lot of mental effort should be avoided since they worsen the mental fatigue caused by brain injuries. Alcohol and drugs should also be avoided no matter what since they slow down the recovery time significantly.
Getting physiotherapy or visiting a car accident injury chiropractor is also good treatment, and can help alleviate the problems caused by brain injuries by helping the body function better. Chiropractic care aims to solve the problem at its core, by addressing the nervous or musculoskeletal systems through physical therapy, manual manipulation, and spinal decompression. This helps in reducing discomfort and aiding the recovery process by addressing injury-related misalignments and gait abnormalities.
Final thoughts
The right medical care and treatments can even lead to the complete elimination of the cognitive, emotional, and physical issues that occur as a result of traumatic brain injuries.
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