You can incur a traumatic brain injury when you suddenly hit your head extremely hard. For example, you can sustain a TBI if you get into a car accident, and you experience head trauma.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the U.S. in 2020, more than 64,000 people died from brain injuries. Although not all TBIs are fatal, this type of injury can impact your ability to live a normal life on a short or even long-term basis. Here are some signs to watch for that could indicate you have a brain injury.
Cognitive symptoms
If you have a TBI, you may lose consciousness for a brief period of time or feel confused, dazed or disoriented. You may also have a hard time concentrating, feel anxious and depressed and experience changes to your normal sleep patterns.
Physical symptoms
Some of the physical symptoms of a brain injury include fatigue or drowsiness, problems speaking and loss of balance. You may also have a headache, vomit or feel nauseated.
Sensory symptoms
If you have a brain injury, you may become sensitive to lights and sounds. You may also experience a ringing sound in your ears, have a bad taste in your mouth or experience a change in your ability to smell.
The brain injury symptoms you experience can depend on many factors, like the severity of the injury and where the head trauma occurred. Although some of these symptoms can appear right after the initial trauma, others may not make themselves apparent until days or weeks have passed.
