Brain Injuries: Myths and Facts

Myth: You can always see a brain injury on CT and MRI scans.

Fact: Not all brain injuries will appear on CT and MRI scans. These scans look for brain bleeds, fractures, and other acute trauma. Just because you got a clean bill of health after those scans does not mean you can eliminate a brain injury.

Myth: You have to hit your head to receive a brain injury.

Fact: The frightening thing is that you don't have to hit your head to receive a brain injury. You don't even have to have an open wound to have a brain injury. Rapid acceleration and deceleration that one may receive during a car accident might cause a brain injury. Many think it is just a whiplash; when your head is thrown forward and then slams backward, it can cause a brain injury; this is called a coup and countercoup.

Myth: Knowing which part of the brain has been injured will tell you what challenges to expect.

Fact: While we wish it were that easy, it just isn't. Knowing the location of the injury may have some indication of the challenges that might occur, but not full predictability. In addition, every response to brain injury can be different for everyone.

Myth: Recovering brain injuries show steady improvements until two years after they recover.

Fact: It is important to understand that a person with a brain injury may show inconsistency over the recovery period. This is not a slow and steady win the race type of situation. While not rushing recovery is imperative, some days, something might be easy for them to do, while other days it might be challenging. There is no promise someone will recover within two years, every person is different, and some recoveries may continue through a lifetime.

Myth: You have to lose consciousness to have a traumatic brain injury.

Fact: Typically, they don't lose consciousness when someone experiences a mild traumatic brain injury. Even with someone who experiences a serious brain injury. Instead, they can experience bruising, torn tissue, bleeding, daze, confusion, or disorientation.

Myth: You will know right away if you have a brain injury.

Fact: Symptoms are not always immediate. Often, if the brain injury occurred from a car accident, it can seem like a concussion at first and go ignored/unnoticed.

Myth: You have to keep someone awake who just suffered from a concussion.

Fact: This is one example of old beliefs changing throughout the years of research. There is no need to keep someone awake after a concussion. However, sleep is critical for brain injury recovery, mainly if they have been clear from their doctor for brain bleeds.