Brain injuries fall into three
categories.
- A closed head injury often
occurs as a
result of a
motor vehicle accident, fall or other
trauma to the head.
This injury is contained under the skull
and its effects
may not be visible. The rapid movement
of a vehicle
accident puts extreme stress on the
brain stem, which
connects the brain to the spinal cord. A
closed head
injury can cause physical, intellectual,
emotional, social
and vocational problems.
- Open head injuries are
penetrating injuries,
caused
by bullets or other things that enter the
brain. Since the
injury is often limited to a specific part of
the brain, very
specific problems often result. For
example, an individual
may have difficulties forming speech,
but be able to write
the same words on paper.
- A third cause of brain injury is
loss of oxygen to
the
brain, which could be the result of a
cardiac arrest due to
a heart attack or near drowning. In
these cases, many
brain cells may be affected, which may
result in more
extensive damage and an overall
change in the behavior
and personality of the individual. In the
case of a stroke,
only a portion of the brain cells are
destroyed resulting in
partial impairment.
Symptoms
Symptoms
vary greatly
depending on the extent and location of
brain damage.
Physical disability, impaired speech
and learning ability
and personality changes are common.
Consequences
can include:
- Physical: Seizures; spasticity;
vision, hearing, smell
and taste loss; speech impairment;
headaches; reduced
endurance; difficulty with movement;
lack of voluntary
muscle control; and difficulty with
activities of daily living
(dressing, eating, bathing).
- Cognitive: Short- and long-term
memory loss;
difficulties with concentration, judgment,
communication
and planning; and spatial
disorientation.
- Psychosocial/behavioral/emotional:
Anxiety and
depression; mood swings; denial;
sexual difficulties;
emotional liability; egocentricity;
impulsivity and
disinhibition; agitation; and
isolation.
Last Updated: December 03, 2007
