If you get into a car accident and experience a blow, jolt or trauma to your head, you could sustain a brain injury. The Brain Trauma Foundation states that motor vehicle accidents make up 20% of brain injuries that occur in the U.S. every year.
The symptoms of a brain injury vary widely from person to person. Additionally, some people develop symptoms right away while for others, it takes days, weeks or even longer for symptoms to show up.
The four categories of symptoms
The symptoms of a brain injury typically fall into four categories:
- Thinking/remembering
- Physical
- Emotional/mood
- Sleep
Common thinking/remembering symptoms after a car accident can include feeling slowed down, difficulty concentrating and problems with short-term memory while physical symptoms can include dizziness, sensitivity to light and fatigue. Emotional/mood symptoms include uncharacteristic sadness and irritability, and sleep symptoms can include sleeping less or more than usual or having trouble falling asleep.
When to seek medical attention
If you develop a severe brain injury, a blood clot that crowds the brain in the skull cap may show up. Some of the signs that this has occurred include a headache that does not go away, continual vomiting or nausea, slurred speech and decreased coordination. Other symptoms include extreme drowsiness, convulsions or seizures, difficulty remembering common places and people or loss of consciousness. You should go to the emergency room right away to receive medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms while recovering from a car accident.
