There are many different types of traumatic brain injuries that can stem from being involved in a motor vehicle accident or a slip and fall accident on another’s property, as a personal injury lawyer can explain. Traumatic brain injuries are the number one injury sustained by those involved in an automobile accident and the possibility of serious brain injury should be taken seriously no matter how mild the accident was. All automobile accident passengers should watch for symptoms of a headache, nausea, fatigue and mental confusion as signs that they may have experienced a traumatic brain injury. Types of brain injuries can be moderate or severe and may stem from a direct blow to the head causing obvious contusions and unconsciousness. Certain brain injuries can go undetected for years. More often than not, however, a severe blow to the head produces unmistakeable brain trauma.
When an accident victim is admitted to the emergency room, medical personnel first attempt to stabilize and resuscitate the patient if necessary. The patient may need to have immediate emergency brain surgery to alleviate swelling or bleeding of the brain. Such surgery is performed by neurosurgeons and is assisted by orthopedic surgeons if there are also injuries to the neck and spine. Nursing care for severe traumatic brain injury patients is provided by a hospital’s specialized care unit and the critical care nursing staff headed by the head trauma nurse. While the patient is under sedation, has lapsed into a coma, or is otherwise unresponsive, a specialized social worker may be assigned as a liaison to communicate between the medical staff and the patient’s family.
When a traumatic brain injury patient has been stabilized the next step may be to undergo acute treatment which could include being placed on a ventilator to breathe for the patient. Others may be so severely injured that they are placed in a medically induced coma to prevent them from further injuring themselves due to uncontrollable seizures.
When a traumatic brain injury patient regains consciousness the physician may initiate drug therapies such as methylphenidate, bromocriptine and antidepressants and other antipsychotic drugs. The final and most hopeful stage that traumatic brain injury patients experience it their recovery.
There is no defining the mental health of a patient or the exact degree of damage that has occurred to the brain. In addition to taking medication a program of regular psychotherapy is usually prescribed to help the patient to reestablish thought patterns and restore physical abilities.
