Types of Traumatic Brain Injury

• Penetrating head injuries occur when an object, like shrapnel, enters the brain and causes damage in a specific area.

• Closed head injuries occur when there's a blow to the head, which can happen during a fall, car accident, sporting event, or any number of different ways.

Both types of TBI can result in bruised brain tissue, bleeding inside the brain, large or small lacerations in the brain, and nerve damage due to shearing forces. The brain can also experience a number of secondary types of damage, like swelling, fever, seizures, or an imbalance of neurological chemicals.

Coping with a Traumatic Brain Injury

While a TBI can be a life-altering event, the good news is that all TBIs are treatable. With the right help, people with TBI can improve the way their brain functions, and they can often reclaim the portions of their lives that were affected by the injury.

A small number of brain injuries, however, are still considered catastrophic injuries and pose tremendous challenges to people.

In order to help make sense of his injury, Geo wrote a book about his injury experience called TBI Hell, and for him a TBI may indeed be horrible. At least things sound like they're improving — his second book is called TBI Purgatory.

A brain injury can make it hard to think clearly; to make plans; and to remember important information. It can result in a wide range of physical problems: sleeping issues, headaches, dizziness, vision impairment, and more. It can make people feel angry, irritable, anxious or sad. Managing and treating those symptoms is a big step toward recovery. Here is some information about the most common symptoms and how to address them.

Emotional

TBI 101: Behavioral & Emotional Symptoms

Emotional Problems After Traumatic Brain Injury

What Is Emotional Flooding?

Anger: Managing Intense Emotions

Depression After Brain Injury: What You Need to Know

Coping with Post-TBI Anxiety & Stress

Thinking & Cognitive

Coping with Thinking & Cognitive Symptoms

Cognitive Problems After Traumatic Brain Injury

TBI 101: Memory Problems

Memory and Brain Injury

Where Are My Keys?

Why So Many Questions?

Now What Did I Come In Here For? Strategies for Remembering What You’re Looking For

Sleep & Fatigue

TBI 101: Sleeping Problems

Sleep and Brain Injury

There Is Nothing Lazy About Someone with a Brain Injury

The Importance of Rest

Sleep Issues After TBI

Fatigue After Brain Injury: Getting Tired of Being So Tired

Do Some People Sleep Too Much?-Video Link

Physical

TBI 101: Physical Symptoms

Headaches After Head Injuries — Post-Traumatic Headaches

Anosmia or Loss of Smell from Brain Injury

Changes in Taste and Smell After Brain Injury- Video Link

Vision Problems Following Brain Injury

Balance Problems After Traumatic Brain Injury

Learning and Memory Difficulties

Individuals with TBI may have trouble learning and remembering new information and events. Individuals may have problems remembering events that happened several weeks or months before the injury (although this often comes back over time). Individuals with TBI are usually able to remember events that happened long ago, but may have problems remembering entire events or conversations. In these instances, the mind tries to “fill in the gaps” of missing information and recalls things that did not actually happen. Sometimes bits and pieces from several situations are remembered as one event. These false memories are not lies.

Trouble paying attention and concentrating

An individual with TBI may have difficulty focusing, paying attention, or attending to more than one thing at a time. Difficulty concentrating may lead to restlessness and being easily distracted or they may have difficulty finishing a project or working on more than one task at a time. Problems carrying on long conversations or sitting still for long periods of time may be noticed.

Attention and concentration may be improved over time with techniques such as decreasing distractions and focusing on one task at a time; practicing attention skills on simple, yet practical activities (such as reading a paragraph or adding numbers) in a quiet room and gradually attempting harder tasks (such as read a short story or balance a checkbook) or by working in a more noisy environment. Often taking breaks when the individual becomes tired is noticed.

Techniques for improving memory problems include:

• Organizing a structured routine of daily tasks and activities

• Using memory aids such as memory notebooks, calendars, daily schedules, daily task lists, computer reminder programs and cue cards

• Devoting time and attention to review and practice new information often

• Being well rested and trying to reduce anxiety as much as possible

• And speaking with your doctor about how medications may affect your memory.

Difficulty completing complex tasks

Persons with TBI may have difficulty planning their day and scheduling appointments. They may have trouble with tasks that require multiple steps done in a particular order, such as laundry, managing a checkbook, driving or cooking.

Individuals with TBI may have difficulty recognizing when there is a problem, which is the first step in problem-solving. They may have trouble analyzing information or changing the way they are thinking (being flexible). When solving problems, individuals may have difficulty deciding the best solution or focusing on one solution and not considering other, better options. Individuals may also make quick decisions without thinking about the consequences, or not use the best judgment.