What Are the Effects of a “Mild” Brain Injuries?
Medically, brain injuries are generally described as “mild” or “severe.” Mild TBI, or Traumatic Brain Injury, generally involves lesser levels of brain damage and brief or no loss of consciousness at the time of the injury. Mild injuries can include minor concussions or blows to the head that apparently have no lasting effects. A brain injury usually is considered mild if the loss of consciousness or any subsequent confusion or disorientation lasts less than a half-hour. An MRI or CAT scan can frequently appear normal, but the victim may still have problems including headaches, memory loss, difficulty paying attention, mood swings, frustration, or difficulty thinking about complex issues.
The belief that a brain injury is “mild” can be dangerous for several reasons:
- While symptoms of mild TBI generally go away quickly, studies indicate that about 15 percent of people suffering “mild” TBI continue to suffer debilitating symptoms, including all of those listed above.
- People who suffer blows to the head but do not lose consciousness or do so only briefly often are released from the hospital in the belief that they are okay. This might not be the case, though, and the victim could continue to have symptoms that no one connects to the previous “mild” injury.
- Many victims of mild brain injuries who do not lose consciousness or are out of consciousness only briefly never seek health care. They feel all right and decline to seek help. Later, problems may emerge that often do not get attributed to the injury, leading to negative effects later.
What About the Effects of Severe Brain Injuries?
A severe brain injury generally involves loss of consciousness for more than a half-hour and memory loss after the injury, or an injury that penetrates the skull. Effects of a severe brain injury can range from impairment of higher-order brain functions to comatose states. Survivors of severe TBI might have limited use of their extremities, or even total loss of use of their arms and legs, impaired speech, impaired ability to concentrate or think, memory loss, or emotional problems. Recovery from these problems is specific to the individual; many people never recover. Long-term rehabilitation therapy is usually required, and even that may not be effective. With mild or severe TBI, the changes in brain abilities can have major negative impacts on your ability to work, function in your community, or even participate in family life and activities.