What Is Traumatic Brain Injury?
What Is Traumatic Brain Injury?
Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), or concussion, is a condition caused by injury to soft structures in the brain, often resulting in long-term consequences. It can occur when the head sustains a violent impact, such as a sports injury, or when the head is involved in a forceful motion, such as whiplash experienced in a car accident.
TBI Diagnosis
Unfortunately, TBI is widely underdiagnosed. While major trauma to the brain is obvious enough, mild TBI may not be apparent on diagnostic imaging. This can include MRI and CT scans and can leave you unaware that your symptoms are actually a concussion.
For example, if you are in a car accident, you may be seemingly unscathed but have actually sustained a mild TBI due to whiplash. Or, you can sustain a mild TBI while participating in contact sports as the result of a fall, a tackle, or collision with another player.
Mild TBI can result in a brief change in mental status such as confusion, disorientation, and/or loss of consciousness. This typically lasts less than 30 minutes. When those symptoms subside, you may believe that the concussion does not need further treatment. However, symptoms may not appear for days or weeks after a brain injury. They can also last for years when left untreated.
Signs of TBI
The signs of mild TBI may be misdiagnosed as mental illness. This is beacuse as you may look and act normal you could be suffering from internal changes. These changes are in the brain that predispose you to depression, anxiety, and other issues that affect mental wellness.
