Head Injuries: Types, Symptoms, and When to Seek Medical Treatment or Legal Counsel

Intracranial hematomas (ICH) refer to blood clots in or around the brain, and there are several basic categories, which are classified according to their location. These injuries can range from mild to life-threatening:

• Epidural hematomas – An epidural hematoma is a blood clot that forms underneath the skull but on top of the brain’s tough covering. This type of hematoma is typically associated with skull fractures.
• Subdural hematomas – A subdural hematoma is a blood clot that forms underneath the skull and the brain’s tough covering but outside the brain itself. It can form as a result of a tear that travels from the brain to its covering and is sometimes associated with skull fractures.
• Contusions (or intracerebral hematomas) – A contusion or intracerebral hematoma refer to a bruise on the brain itself. These injuries cause the brain to bleed and swell in the area in which the brain was struck.

A concussion is a type of TBI that can lead to an instantaneous loss of alertness or awareness and can last from a few seconds or minutes to several hours. Concussions related to contact sports have received considerable press in recent years due to the serious cumulative damage associated with repeated concussions.

A skull fracture refers to an actual break in the skull bone. There are several basic types (Johns Hopkins Medicine), including:

• Linear skull fractures – Linear skull fractures are the most common type of skull fracture, and they refer to a break in the skull bone that does not move the skull bone. Linear skull fractures generally require little treatment other than an observation period in the hospital.
• Depressed skull fractures – Depressed skull fractures refer to injuries in which the trauma involved actually causes a sunken depression in the part of the skull that experiences it. Surgical intervention may be required to address the physical deformity caused.
• Diastatic skull fractures – Diastatic skull fractures refer to fractures that happen along the skull’s suture lines (those areas between the bones that make up our heads and that fuse when we are very young). These fractures are seen mainly in newborn babies and other infants.
• Basilar skull fractures – Basilar skull fractures are the most serious skull fractures of all, and they refer to a break in the bone that forms the base of the skull. Common signs of these fractures include telltale bruises around the eyes that are accompanied by a bruise behind the ear. Victims can also exhibit clear drainage from the ears or nose (caused by a tear in the brain’s covering).

DAIs refer to the kinds of head injuries that are commonly associated with car accidents, slip and fall accidents, and other occurrences in which the head is shaken back and forth on the neck.

According to the Mayo Clinic, some of the primary signs of a mild TBI (which can prove exceptionally dangerous) include:

• A persistent headache
• Immense drowsiness or fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting
• Speech difficulties
• A loss of balance or general dizziness
• Increased sensitivity to sound or light
• Sensory issues that include ringing in the ears, blurred eyesight, changes in the sense of smell, or a bad taste in one’s mouth
• Difficulty concentrating or memory concerns
• A brief loss of consciousness or being in a state of confusion or disorientation (being dazed generally)
• Mood swings or shifts
• Increased anxiety or depression
• Sleep disturbances, including sleeping more than usual

From here, the symptoms only become more serious – and more dangerous. It’s important to note here that, although TBIs are classified as mild, moderate, and severe, these distinctions refer only to how the injuries affect your brain’s functioning. As such, even a mild TBI can prove exceptionally dangerous and should be taken very seriously.

Medications are often employed to help limit secondary damage to the brain in the immediate aftermath of a brain injury, including:

• Anti-seizure medications – During the first week after a moderate to severe TBI, victims are at increased risk of having seizures, and anti-seizure medications are often prescribed during this period.
• Diuretics – Because diuretics help reduce the volume of fluids in people’s tissues, IV diuretics are sometimes prescribed for those with brain injuries to help reduce pressure within the brain.
• Coma-inducing drugs – Because a comatose brain requires less oxygen to function properly, temporary comas are sometimes induced for people who’ve suffered brain injuries (especially if the injury is depriving the victim’s brain of much-needed oxygen and nutrients).

Sometimes, surgery is necessary to reduce the risk of additional brain damage. Common examples include surgeries that are intended to do all the following:

• The removal of hematomas
• The repair of skull fractures
• The stoppage of bleeding in the brain
• The relief of pressure in the brain

People who have suffered TBIs often require rehabilitation to support and improve their ability to engage in the activities of daily living. Common forms of rehabilitation include:

• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Speech and language therapy
• Psychiatric rehabilitation
• Neuropsychological rehabilitation
• Recreational therapy
• Vocational therapy

In addition to the therapists themselves, the kinds of professionals involved often include social workers, case managers, rehab nurses, TBI nurse specialists, counselors, and more.