Brain Injuries Can Raise the Risk of Strokes

Many people do not realize how serious brain injuries are. However, the truth is that even a “mild” brain injury can lead to serious complications for the rest of a person’s life. For example, an individual who is diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury may have memory loss, balancing problems, recurring headaches, and confusion.

While all of these complications are usually intense and overwhelming for a person suffering from a brain injury, they may even find out that they are at risk of strokes. In fact, several different studies state that there is a correlation between brain injuries and an increasing risk of strokes.

What is a brain injury?

According to the Mayo Clinic, a brain injury occurs when an individual hits or bumps their head on a hard item. A brain injury can also emerge if a sharp object pierces the brain. When a person suffers a brain injury, the brain may bleed, the brain cells may be permanently or temporarily damaged, and the tissues may be torn or bruised. Some of the symptoms that might indicate that you have a brain injury include:

• Excruciating headaches
• Inability to balance
• Feeling dizzy
• Nausea or vomiting
• Feeling tired
• Speech issues
• Loss of consciousness
• Dilated pupils
• Loss of coordination
• Sleeping too much
• Confusion
• Fluids dripping from the ears or nose

What is a stroke?

The American Stroke Association explains that a stroke is “a disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain.” Therefore, when a blood vessel becomes clogged or blocked, a stroke is likely to occur. This is because the brain cannot receive the nutrients and oxygen that the vessel usually transports to it, causing the brain cells to die. Several of the symptoms that you may notice if a person is having or has already had a stroke include:

• Inability to speak or communicate
• Slurred speech
• Inability to understand what others are saying
• Headaches
• Paralysis
• Face or limb numbness
• Drooping mouth
• Balance issues
• Dizziness
• Loss of coordination
• Nausea or vomiting
• Blurry vision
• Inability to walk or move around without tripping or falling

Can my head injury cause me to have a stroke?

Unfortunately, your head injury can cause you to have a stroke. If you have recently hit or bumped your head on a hard surface or object, you should keep an eye out for symptoms of a stroke. It is important to know that not all head injuries will cause you to have strokes, but your risk of having a stroke does increase. This is because head injuries can lead to blood clots, which is one of the most common causes of ischemic strokes. However, besides the fact that you have a head or brain injury, there are other factors that can increase your chances of having a stroke, such as:

• Blocked blood flow
• Damage to any blood vessels
• Inflammation or swelling on the brain
• Whether or not you have had other head injuries in the past
• Your age, health, and wellbeing

If this is not your first head injury, your risk of a stroke increases because there is a higher chance that you have more serious and permanent damage to the cells and blood vessels in your brain. This can affect the flow of blood and the way your blood vessels operate in your brain.

What do the studies say about brain injuries raising the risk of strokes?

There are several different studies that you can find about brain injuries and the correlation of strokes. One study published in the National Library of Medicine analyzed over two million people from four different countries. The participants were placed into two different groups, a group for people who have suffered traumatic brain injuries and a group of people who have never had a traumatic brain injury. The study pointed out these three facts:

1. No matter how severe or minor a brain injury is, it is still a risk factor for strokes.
2. All types of brain injuries can lead to strokes. This means that a person who has a minor concussion has the same risk of strokes as a person who has a serious diffuse axonal injury.
3. Those who suffered a traumatic brain injury were 86 percent more likely to have a stroke within the first three months than those who have never had a traumatic brain injury.

Another study observed 12,813 people from the United States who had never experienced a head injury or stroke before. The observation went on for around 30 years and found these three facts:

1. Head injuries can increase the risk of ischemic strokes, which are the most common types of strokes.
2. Every time a person has a head injury, their chances of experiencing an ischemic stroke increase. This means that each additional bump to the head can increase your risk of having an ischemic stroke. The study showed that one head injury increased the chance of an ischemic risk by 32 percent, but two head injuries increased the risk by 94 percent.
3. It does not matter how severe or minor the brain injury is; individuals who have suffered a traumatic brain injury are at risk of ischemic strokes.

Why should you get medical attention right away for a brain injury?

After hitting your head in any type of accident, you should get medical attention right away. The reason for this is because brain injuries are very serious injuries that should be located and treated immediately. If you delay or put off treatment, the injury may become worse, resulting in long-term complications or even death. Therefore, even if you think that your injury may be minor and no big deal, it can affect your daily life in various ways for many years to come.

If you believe negligence caused your brain injury, the Nashville personal injury lawyers from Rocky McElhaney Law Firm are here to help you with your legal matters. Our team is known to fight tirelessly for our clients, and we are more than glad to do the same for you. We offer each person who walks through our office doors compassion, understanding, and respect. Therefore, you will never have to worry about whether or not you will be taken seriously by our legal team. Call our office or submit our contact form to schedule your first appointment at one of our office locations in Nashville, Hendersonville, or Clarksville today.