According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are about 1.7 million traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) that occur every year. After falls, car accidents are the second-leading cause of these types of injuries, contributing to about 17.3% of these injuries per year. The following article will discuss some of the causes of TBIs resulting from car accidents and will provide some potential effects that TBIs can have.
How do car accidents cause TBIs?
Car accidents can cause TBIs in some of the following ways:
- Whiplash: Whiplash occurs when your head is violently thrown backward and then forward due to a force from behind. When this happens, your brain could strike the inside of your skull at high speed, resulting in mild to moderate symptoms of a TBI.
- Front-end collisions: A front-end collision can cause your vehicle to stop abruptly while your body continues to move at the same rate of speed you were traveling before the impact. This can cause your brain to slam against your skull with violent force.
- Side-impact collisions: In a side-impact collision, your head will be thrown in the direction of the impact. For example, if your car was struck on the driver’s side, your head will be thrown to the left with much force. This forces your brain to strike the right side of your skull and then back again, hitting the left side of your skull.
- Open head injuries: If you hit your head against the window or come in contact with an outside object during an accident, it can result in head lacerations or fractures to the skull. Shards of glass, debris, or even bone fragments could enter their brain and result in devastating, life-threatening injuries.
What are the symptoms of a TBI?
You should call the doctor immediately if you notice any of the following TBI symptoms:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Sensory deficiencies
- Changes in mood or sleep patterns
- Seizures
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Numbness in the extremities
- Increased confusion
What are some potential long-term effects of TBIs?
Because the brain controls all of our bodily functions, TBIs can be severely debilitating. In fact, TBIs may have some of the following long-term effects:
- Behavioral effects: TBIs can cause a loss of control in behavior, which can result in the exhibition of socially inappropriate behavior. Examples of this type of behavior include making insensitive remarks, laughing at inappropriate times or in inappropriate situations, and being over-familiar with others. Impulsiveness, obsessiveness, and irritability are other behavioral traits which may develop after a brain injury.
- Cognitive effects: TBIs can cause major memory issues (specifically short-term memory). Some individuals are unable to remember names or faces and will have an excruciating time trying to retain new information. These individuals may also have a dramatically reduced attention span or issues processing information at a normal rate. Some even lose their ability to speak correctly, as it may be extremely difficult for them to mentally put the right words together.
- Emotional effects: TBIs can cause major personality changes. Someone who was once talkative and friendly may become sullen and withdrawn. Depression and anxiety are common symptoms associated with brain injuries. Additionally, some of these individuals may experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Physical effects: TBIs can cause a plethora of physical problems. Some of these problems include fatigue, loss of mobility, insomnia, epilepsy, speech problems, body weakness, and paralysis.