While many traumatic brain injuries result in permanent damage, the brain can and often does heal itself. However, patients must engage their brain's neuroplasticity to achieve the best recovery outcomes. The human brain is extraordinarily resilient.
And the answer is yes. The brain is incredibly resilient and possesses the ability to repair itself through the process of neuroplasticity. This phenomenon is the reason why many brain injury survivors can make astounding recoveries.
Brain damage may be temporary or permanent and recovery can be prolonged. Concussion is a type of mild TBI that may be considered a temporary injury to the brain but could take minutes to several months to heal.
In fact, depending on the severity of the injury, recovery time for a TBI may vary from a few weeks to six or more months. Each person reacts differently to injury and illness. Thus, recovery time will vary between individuals. However, the length of recovery time for TBI depends on how long a patient is unconscious.
Unlike most other injuries, a brain injury doesn't simply heal in time and many people who sustain a moderate or severe brain injury will never fully recover to be the person they once were and live the life they once lived. But with the right help, at the right time, there can be life after brain injury.
The effects and complications of a brain injury can worsen over time, but they can often be prevented with proper care. Staying active and motivated not only reduces your risk of decline but it increases your chances of making a full recovery.
“Any type of brain injury, regardless of severity, can cause personality changes — and some patients may not experience any personality changes at all,” said Dr. Thomas. For patients who do experience personality changes, common symptoms include: Becoming quick to anger or frustration.
Stage 3. Minimally Conscious State (Localized Response, Total Assistance) When in a minimally conscious state, survivors may drift in and out of consciousness. Unlike the vegetative state, individuals in this stage of recovery now have a limited awareness of their surroundings.
While damage to the brain following a traumatic brain injury is permanent because damaged brain cells cannot regenerate or repair themselves, there is hope for functional recovery. This is because functions affected by TBI may be rewired and improved by healthy brain cells.
The major limitation in treating physical brain and spinal cord damage is that when these nerve cells are lost, the condition is permanent, ie the cells do not regrow. Diseases such as Parkinson's, dementia and multiple sclerosis cause damage to nerves which is irreversible and cannot currently be cured.
Will brain damage show up on an MRI? It's a question we get asked often by our clients who've suffered brain injuries. And the answer is if it's moderate or severe, most of the time it will show up on an MRI. If it's a mild brain injury, often it will not show up on an MRI.
You may have difficulty moving, speaking or concentrating. You may have lingering physical and emotional symptoms like headaches, nausea, sleep disorders and mood changes. If you've had a traumatic brain injury, the recovery process is a completely new journey for you and your loved ones.
After a brain injury, you might suffer from social anxiety, irritability, anger, depression, feelings of overwhelm, general anxiety, mood swings, or emotional lability (teariness). But make no mistake: While these symptoms can make it seem like you're a different person now, your personality is intact.
Different mental abilities are located in different parts of the brain, so a brain injury can affect some, but not necessarily all, skills such as speed of thought, memory, understanding, concentration, solving problems and using language.
A new study reveals that approximately 1 in 5 individuals may experience mental health symptoms up to six months after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), suggesting the importance of follow-up care for these patients.
Brain injury can cause disorders of consciousness (DOC). Some injuries are mild; they may cause minor changes in consciousness such as brief confusion. Severe injuries can cause permanent unconsciousness. Of people with severe injuries, 60% to 80% survive.
Concussions are the most common type of TBI. You can take steps to lower your risk of accidents that cause TBIs.
vomited (been sick) since the injury. a headache that does not go away with painkillers. a change in behaviour, like being more irritable or losing interest in things around you (especially in children under 5) been crying more than usual (especially in babies and young children)
Immediate Problems
Some complications of TBI include seizures, nerve damage, blood clots, narrowing of blood vessels, stroke, coma, and infections in the brain. The likelihood of many of these problems decreases as more time passes and the person's condition stabilizes.
A CT (or “CAT”) scan takes X-rays from many angles to create a complete picture of the brain. It can quickly show whether the brain is bleeding or bruised or has other damage. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI uses magnets and radio waves to produce more detailed images than CT scans.
While many doctors order MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans or CT (computed or computerized tomography) scans to check the brain for more serious damage, this technology is not suitable for detecting the more subtle changes associated with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI or mild TBI).