signs+and+symptoms

Signs and symptoms

The symptoms of traumatic brain injuries can depend on the type of injury as well as the part of the brain that is affected for example if the right side of the brain is injured unconsciousness can be much shorter than if the left side of the brain is injured. Symptoms of traumatic brain injuries can also vary greatly depending on the severity of the injury.

With mild brain trauma, patients may still remain conscious or may loose consciousness for a few seconds or minutes and may show symptoms such as headaches, nausea, lack of motor skills and balance, blurred vision, ringing in the ears and many more.

In cases of moderate or severe brain trauma symptoms can include, severe headaches that don’t go away, convulsions, inability to awaken, dilation of one or both pupils loss of consciousness for long periods of time, which can lead to a coma. In severe traumatic brain injuries there is also the possibility of long lasting effects, which can include changes in social behaviour, cognitive changes especially problems with sustained attention, processing speed, and executive function.

In diagnosing traumatic brain injuries one of the simplest methods is checking if the pupils constrict in response to light. In an emergency setting the most widely used test for diagnosis is known as a computed tomography scan or CT scan which provides quick and accurate results. Magnetic resonance imaging or MRI’s provide a more accurate depiction of the injury than a CT scan and can provide valuable information on the possible outcome in the long term.