Can the Brain Heal from a Traumatic Brain Injury?

Traumatic brain injuries are one of the most common types of injuries diagnosed after an accident. However, these injuries can be very complicated to understand as they are typically different for each individual.

For example, one person with a traumatic brain injury may experience difficulties and complications for the rest of their life, while another person may have mild symptoms and heal within a few short months or years. It depends how severe the injury is, how much damage has been done to the brain, where the injury is located, and how successful the medical treatments are.

What is a traumatic brain injury?

According to the Mayo Clinic, a traumatic brain injury is a type of injury that occurs when a person experiences a “violent blow or jolt to the head or body.” Therefore, any time a person is involved in a car accident, slip and fall accident, or even a sports accident, there is a good chance that they could have hit or bumped their head on a hard object or surface, resulting in a traumatic brain injury.

Is it possible to recover from a traumatic brain injury?

If you are wondering whether or not the brain can heal from a traumatic brain injury, Johns Hopkins Medicine explains that “most studies suggest that once brain cells are destroyed or damaged, for the most part, they do not regenerate. However, recovery after brain injury can take place, especially in younger people, as in some cases, other areas of the brain make up for injured tissue.” This means that even though a person’s brain cells may be destroyed, the brain may be able to relearn how to consume and handle information it receives, as well as function to its best ability around the damaged parts.

You must keep in mind that it is usually unpredictable how much of your brain may be able to heal after being injured. The reason for this is because each individual’s traumatic brain injury is unique and different, and everyone’s healing and recovery pace can vary. Therefore, it typically takes doctors several months or years to give an accurate recovery time, but most people should expect a long healing process that involves various medical treatments and rehabilitation methods.

What are the differences between a mild and severe traumatic brain injury?

There are several differences between mild and severe traumatic brain injuries, such as:

• Individuals who are diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injuries are more likely to heal than those with more severe traumatic brain injuries.
• Mild traumatic brain injuries usually only temporarily alter your brain cells.
• Severe traumatic brain injuries can permanently affect your brain, leading to serious bleeding, bruising, and tearing within the cells.
• Individuals who are diagnosed with severe traumatic brain injuries are more likely to have lifelong damage to their brain as well as die from their injuries or complications.

Brain injuries that may eventually heal and those that may stick around permanently

Although there is a possibility that a person can heal from any type of traumatic brain injury, individuals are more likely to eventually heal from minor traumatic brain injuries compared to severe traumatic brain injuries. There are two mild types of traumatic brain injuries that usually require lots of rest and relaxation to heal, which include:

• Concussion: A concussion is commonly referred to as the least serious type of traumatic brain injury. Most of the time, when a doctor or physician locates a concussion on a patient’s brain, they require the patient to take a break from their activities for a few days, avoid doing too much work or thinking, take over-the-counter medications or prescriptions for pain, and soak up all the rest and relaxation that they can. Once their symptoms get better, they can ease back into their daily routine and tasks.
• Contusion: Contusions are usually found when there is a concussion on the brain. They are simply described as “a bruise on the brain.” Contusions are mild bleeding where the injury is located and typically heal on their own. However, if they do not heal with the proper rest and relaxation, they will likely turn into hematomas and require surgery to remove them.

If you have a severe traumatic brain injury, there is a high likelihood that it will stick around permanently, causing serious complications for several years to come. In fact, many people who are diagnosed with severe traumatic brain injuries never make a full recovery, but their symptoms may get better with time, advanced medical treatments, and rehabilitation. Here are a few of the most severe traumatic brain injuries that are likely to become lifelong injuries:

• Brain hemorrhage: An individual may be diagnosed with a brain hemorrhage if they have severe bleeding within their brain. A brain hemorrhage is a very serious and life-threatening condition that occurs when there is bleeding on or around the brain. As a result, brain hemorrhages must be treated as quickly as possible as they can quickly lead to long-term complications or even death.
• Intracranial hematomas: An intracranial hematoma occurs when an individual has collected blood within their skull. This is common when a blood vessel erupts within or on the brain, which can happen after a truck accident, motorcycle accident, construction accident, or any other type of accident. An intracranial hematoma is one of the most severe traumatic brain injuries that should be treated with emergency surgery to drain and get rid of the collected blood.
• Diffuse axonal injury: A diffuse axonal injury is another very serious traumatic brain injury that can affect a person’s well-being and quality of life for many years. These injuries are usually diagnosed when a person experiences tearing in their axons, which typically happens when the brain begins to move around inside the hard skull. Those with a diffuse axonal injury suffer injuries to several different areas of their brain at once, which can lead to severe and permanent brain damage. Unfortunately, these types of traumatic brain injuries can be difficult to see or locate on CT and MRI scans, causing them to go long periods of time without treatment. As a result, coma and other complications are very common.

If you have recently been injured in an accident that resulted in a traumatic brain injury, please do not hesitate to get in touch with a Nashville personal injury attorney from Rocky McElhaney Law Firm at your earliest opportunity. Our team has the experience, resources, and tools needed to help you secure the best results possible for your case. All you have to do is call our office or submit our contact form to schedule your free consultation at one of our office locations in Nashville, Hendersonville, Murfreesboro and Clarksville today.