Nearly two million people suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the United States each year. The severity of the injury varies, but most of these victims will spend at least one night in the hospital. Most TBI sufferers will go on to be okay, but nearly 80,000 will suffer long term disability. Even some of those who seem fine now may develop problems related to their brain injury later on in life. This is due to the nature of the brain and the way it responds when injured. It is estimated that there are 5.3 million people in this country living with problems associated with some kind of TBI
Common Symptoms
Though the symptoms depend on which part of the brain has been injured, some of the most common symptoms include:
· Behavioral changes
· Blurred vision
· Depression
· Dizziness
· Headaches
· Seizures
· Slurred or slowed speech
· Weakness
· Vertigo
Other Symptoms
Besides the more common symptoms associated with a TBI, there are other lesser known ones that can cause serious problems for the victim.
· Alteration in smell or taste – If the cranial nerve is damaged, which is common in mild to moderate injuries, the result can be the loss or change in sense of smell and taste. Neurologists and physicians have the ability to test this now. The change in the taste of food or difficulty in cooking even the simplest meals due to problems with the sense of smell in someone who has suffered a TBI should require a test.
· Visual disturbances – Disturbances in vision are fairly common in TBI victims. It is estimated that 30 to 85 percent of cases will have some kind of vision problem. Because they are one of the last symptoms tested, they can be overlooked. Besides blurred vision, sensitivity to light, change in the field of vision and other things may occur. One problem is the inability of the eyes to focus or accurately change their focus from near to far, or vice versa. This is called accommodation. Other problems may be skipping lines while reading or re-reading the same line over and over, and the print may also look like it is “floating” on the page.
· Sudden sensorineural hearing loss – SNHL can be caused by trauma, tumor, or infectious diseases. It concerns both hearing and balance. A test called the Romberg Test can show if a victim has this. Most patients will recover full or partial hearing after a couple of years.
· Glandular or endocrine dysfunction – A moderate or severe TBI may cause problems with the hormonal glands. The pituitary gland is especially at risk of damage. A decrease in the production of the growth hormone may require hormone therapy because the pituitary function may have long term effects on the heart, psychiatric status, and other parts of the body. Sexual dysfunction in TBI sufferers is blamed on glandular or endocrine problems.
