8 Myths About Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) have many misunderstandings regarding their effects on someone’s life. BD&J has listed 8 myths surrounding traumatic brain injury to help our community better understand the signs and potential dangers so you and your loved ones can be better informed.
Myth #1: Mild traumatic brain injury isn’t serious
Even if a traumatic brain injury has been categorized as ‘mild,’ it does not mean that the effects of the injury are not significant. Individuals with mild brain injury can experience physical symptoms, cognitive problems, and behavior changes.
Myth #2: You cannot have a traumatic brain injury without loss of consciousness
Brain injury can occur without loss of consciousness. Such examples include being dazed after an accident without losing consciousness.
Myth #3: You must strike your head to suffer a Traumatic Brain Injury
Brain injuries may occur from rapid acceleration or deceleration of your head; such as when making a sudden stop with your vehicle, or being rear-ended by another driver. The sudden impact on the brain can cause the brain to bump into the opposite side of the skull, leading to brain injury.
Myth #4: If an injury does not show up on a scan, then there is no traumatic brain injury
Neuroimaging does not always pick up on subtle changes in the brain. Scans are useful in determining damage in severe cases of traumatic brain injury, but can often come back as “normal” in cases of small brain injuries.
Myth #5: You can see the effects of a traumatic brain injury straight away
The signs of a traumatic brain injury may not appear immediately after the injury has been sustained. Accident victims may notice changes in behavior, cognitive function, concentration and memory weeks and even moths after the accident occurred.
Myth #6: Children with a Traumatic Brain Injury make a better recovery
A child’s brain is still developing; therefore, it can be difficult to understand the full extent of their injuries. It may be several years before the full impacts of the injury can be recognized and impairments in the child’s development are noticed.
Myth #7: A mild traumatic brain injury is not permanent
The effects of a traumatic brain injury can be far reaching and last for a long period of time. Someone with a mild traumatic brain injury can suffer from symptoms anywhere from a few weeks to the rest of their life. No one accident victim is the same with their recovery.
Myth #8: Mild traumatic brain injuries are not debilitating
People differ in the severity of the symptoms they experience, but these symptoms can result in an inability to work, a disruption in their family life and their relationships, and a complete change in the way they live their life.
Injured? Contact BD&J for a free consultation with a Los Angeles brain injury lawyer.
