The brain is undoubtedly one of the most important organs in the human body. It’s essentially the control center for the whole body and is responsible for controlling everything from heart rate and breathing to sleep and everything else that keeps you alive. This is why a serious injury to the head or brain is often a serious and potentially fatal event.
Whether from a car accident, a fall, or other traumatic events, a head injury can potentially be damaging. Head injuries occur when the brain moves around the skull during high-impact accidents. The rapid motion causes damage to brain cells and blood vessels, nerve damage, and fractures.
Depending on their severity, head injuries can lead to physical, cognitive, and even behavioral and emotional changes that affect how you live your life. Seeking urgent and appropriate treatment for head and brain injuries is essential.
Georgia Spine and Orthopaedics has a team of surgeons, doctors, and physical therapists who specialize in head injury treatment to get you back on your feet. We will work with you and create a personalized treatment plant to help you return to your daily life as soon as possible.
Types of Head Injuries
Several types of head injuries could occur, including concussions and skull fractures. Depending on the severity, a head injury could lead to physical, cognitive, and even behavioral and emotional changes that affect how you live your life.
Headaches
Nearly everyone has experienced a headache at some point in their lives. While they are generally annoying, some are a sign that something is wrong in the body. Headaches are quite a common symptom following a head injury and can vary in severity and duration.
Diagnosing the cause of pain is often a little bit complicated. For mild headaches, imaging tests might not be required but may be recommended to help rule out other potential conditions that could be causing the pain. MRI scans are often used to diagnose headaches where there might be complications like concussion, muscle tension, or nerve compression.
Treatment options may include medication management, physical therapy, relaxation techniques, and lifestyle modifications to alleviate symptoms and improve overall quality of life.
Skull Fractures
A skull fracture is any form of trauma or injury that causes a break or fracture to the cranial bone. A fracture of the skull can accompany a brain injury since a break in the skull leaves the brain susceptible to damage.
Skull fractures can occur as a result of significant impact on the head during a personal injury accident. These fractures can range from mild to severe, requiring immediate medical attention.
Treatment may involve surgical intervention to repair the fracture and prevent complications such as brain injury or infection. Our team is committed to providing compassionate support and comprehensive care throughout the healing process.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
Traumatic brain injuries are among the most serious consequences of head trauma, often resulting in long-term physical, cognitive, and emotional impairments. At our clinic, we understand the critical importance of early intervention and specialized care for brain injuries.
Our team of neurologists and rehabilitation specialists collaborate to provide comprehensive treatment plans aimed at maximizing recovery and improving outcomes. We are dedicated to guiding patients through every stage of their recovery journey with compassion, expertise, and personalized attention.
What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be caused by a blow to the head, penetration of the skull, or the head being shaken around. This can occur as a result of a car accident, fall, or being hit on the head during sports.
Following a head injury, the brain cells may become damaged, and the neurons might have trouble doing their job of carrying signals to different parts of the brain. With a TBI, you may find you’re having trouble concentrating, moving, or thinking normally. Your brain may also have some trouble keeping your body working normally.
Most TBI cases are mild, but others can be severe and life-threatening. Severe TBI cases always need emergency care, and people who survive them will often need a lengthy recovery period. Some symptoms last for a long time with some lasting for a lifetime.
There are several types of traumatic brain injuries.
Concussion
Concussions can result from a blow to the head or from a sudden stop causing the brain to move inside the skull. This type of injury is common in vehicle collisions. Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, confusion, and nausea.
Contusion
A brain contusion is a bruise on the brain’s surface and often results from a blow to the head. It can potentially cause bleeding and swelling in the brain, leading to symptoms like weakness, seizures, and altered consciousness.
Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI)
Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI) presents as extensive nerve fiber damage across the brain, typically from abrupt acceleration or deceleration forces, such as those seen in car accidents or shaken baby syndrome. DAI can induce coma, vegetative states, or lasting disability.
Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries
The symptoms of traumatic brain injury will vary depending on the severity of the injury. Some of the most common symptoms of mild TBI cases include:
- Blurred vision
- Headaches
- Trouble concentrating or paying attention
- Temporary confusion
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Ringing in your ears
For moderate to severe cases of TBI, the symptoms you experience include the following:
- Slurred speech
- Loss of coordination
- Inability to wake easily
- Moderate to severe nausea
- Weakness or numbness in your extremities
- Dilated pupils with light sensitivity
TBI symptoms are quite similar to non-traumatic brain injuries, such as strokes, burst blood vessels, or infections. In case you experience any of these symptoms, it’s critical to contact a specialist. Georgia Spine and Orthopaedics provides the best care team for head injuries in Georgia.
Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
The most common causes of TBI are accidents and trauma injuries. Most people will often protect their heads using helmets and other protective gear when they are in a high-risk environment, such as construction sites or riding motorcycles. However, accidents still do happen, and usually when we least expect them to.
Some of the leading causes of traumatic brain injuries include:
- Vehicle accidents, including motorcycle crashes and car accidents.
- Falls, especially ones involving the very young or elderly.
- Assaults, such as being struck by a blunt object.
- Sports injuries, especially in contact sports.
Anything that would cause your skull to break or fracture will likely cause a TBI. Accidents that cause your head to violently rock back and forth could cause a traumatic brain injury. It’s always recommended that you seek medical attention for any head injury, even if it doesn’t seem too serious.
Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury
Physicians will rely on neurological exams and imaging tools to diagnose a traumatic brain injury and determine its severity. From this, they can create a personalized head injury treatment plan.
For mild cases of TBI, rest is usually recommended. A serious brain injury may require surgery.
Mild TBI
In many cases, recovery from a mild traumatic brain injury just requires rest. After a medical evaluation, patients may be given medications for pain.
You should follow your doctor’s advice and avoid pushing yourself too hard too soon. It’s important to watch for signs of complications. If symptoms worsen or new symptoms develop, specialist care may be needed.
Emergency Care
For emergencies, the goal is first to stop any bleeding and minimize swelling to prevent further injury to the brain or the spinal cord. Emergency care for a traumatic brain injury may include trephination and craniotomy.
- Trephination involves drilling a hole through the skull to remove blood and reduce pressure on the brain.
- Craniotomy involves removing part of the skull temporarily to access the affected areas of the brain and reduce the amount of pressure on the brain.
Medications
Medications may be prescribed to help limit damage to the brain. These may include the following:
- Diuretics are usually given to people with a TBI and may help lower the pressure inside the brain by helping reduce the fluid in tissues.
- Anti-seizure drugs may be prescribed during the first week to avoid developing additional brain damage that could result from seizures.
- Coma-inducing drugs are used to put the patient in a temporary coma as a comatose brain will need less oxygen to function. This can be helpful in case the injuries make it impossible to deliver the right amounts of oxygen and nutrients to brain cells.
Surgery
Emergency surgery might be necessary to help minimize damage to brain tissues. The surgery could be used to:
- Get rid of hematomas (blood clots)
- Relieve any pressure inside the skull
- Repair skull fractures
Rehabilitation
At Georgia Spine and Orthopaedics, our rehabilitation program has a dedicated and highly trained team that can help the patient improve their ability to function at home and rejoin the community. At our facilities, patients have access to neurological rehabilitation and physical therapy along with skilled medical and imaging specialists.
Our rehabilitation team can help TBI patients achieve the highest level of functional, physical, and cognitive independence. The goal is to enable you to return home to your family and community. This way, you can get back to work, and school, and continue enjoying your daily activities.
Reach out to a Trusted Georgia Head Injury Treatment Clinic
Each head injury is unique, and the recovery will be unique too. The team at Georgia Spine and Orthopaedics is always open to seeing anyone who has suffered any form of head injury, no matter the severity. We have successfully treated patients and helped them make a full recovery.
Contact us today at 678-929-4494 to schedule a consultation with us.
