The brain is one of the most extraordinary organs in the human body, responsible for memory, thought, feeling, and so much of what makes humans unique when compared to other animals. It’s thanks to our brains that humanity has developed societies and civilizations, mapped the world, cured diseases, flown to the moon, and created incredible works of art.
As these remarkable achievements show, the brain is capable of amazing things. Unfortunately, it’s also capable of getting injured very easily. Even though the skull and protective fluid layers help to keep it safe against some forms of damage, this organ can get very quickly due to sudden impacts, blows to the head, slips, falls, and more.
Brain injuries can occur in many situations, from auto accidents to collisions on the football field, and they can vary in severity. The worst type of injury is called a traumatic brain injury or TBI. This is when the brain suffers some sort of traumatic damage, leading to many effects. Such injuries can lead to lifelong pain and hefty medical bills. In that case, it would be best to consult personal injury lawyers who can help receive maximum compensation for the losses. You can click here to learn more about this.
There’s a lot that people don’t know about a TBI, and this guide will go over how these injuries may be treated.
Medication
There are many different symptoms that can appear when someone suffers from a TBI. One of the most common symptoms is headaches. Many patients struggle with persistent and painful headaches that can last for several hours at a time.
To combat this, certain medications may be used. Painkillers can help to numb the pain of a headache and help it fade away faster.
Other types of medication may also be prescribed, like muscle relaxants for patients who are dealing with muscle spasms or anti-anxiety medication for patients who are suffering from mental health issues as a result of their injury.
Therapy
Therapy is another treatment method for TBI patients, and the vast majority of TBI patients will require at least some type and level of therapy during the recovery phase after suffering their injury.
There are various forms of therapy that might be needed. Some patients will only require basic therapy at the hospital before returning home, while others will need to regularly see a therapist for months or even years after their injury.
Therapy can help a patient re-learn certain movements and tasks if they have suffered cognitive damage after the accident. Cognitive therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy might all be needed, as well as psychological therapy for those with mental health issues.
Rest and Relaxation
TBI injuries can vary in severity. Some of them are quite mild, with only minor side effects and basic symptoms like light headaches, tiredness, and brief concussion, but without any of the more life-changing effects like memory loss or mobility problems.
In these situations, a doctor might not need to prescribe any medication or recommend any sort of serious therapy to the patient. Instead, they might recommend that the patient simply rests and relaxes, enjoying the benefits of both physical and mental rest.
Physical rest basically means that the patient should try to avoid sort of intense physical activities for a while, like sports and active hobbies such as running, cycling, and horseriding. This helps to reduce the risk of any further injuries to the head.
Mental rest, meanwhile, is focused on relaxing the mind. A patient may be asked to refrain from work and other activities that could put excess stress on the brain like reading, writing, playing video games, watching movies, and so on.
Emergency Surgery
In the most severe TBI cases, when serious damage has been done to the brain, it’s important for medical experts to act fast in order to deal with the immediate risks, try to limit the amount of damage that has been done, and basically work to keep the patient alive.
This may happen after a very serious auto accident, for example, and the patient will usually need to be rushed to the hospital with the help of an ambulance. They’ll need to be stabilized and provided with oxygen to the brain if the flow has been interrupted in any way.
Doctors and nurses will need to check and control the patient’s blood pressure, as well as protecting the body carefully to avoid any further issues. They may then proceed to operate on the patient, repairing damage to the skull or removing foreign objects that may have gotten lodged in or around the brain.
Conclusion
A traumatic brain injury can be one of the worst kinds of injury, leading to huge changes in a person’s life. Fortunately, as this guide shows, there are many ways in which these injuries can be treated, and if you ever suspect that yourself or a loved one may have a TBI, it’s vital to see a doctor or call 911 right away.