How can a brain injury impact you?
The way individuals react to brain injuries varies significantly. Some people have few symptoms and recover quickly, while others struggle with a lifetime of injury-related concerns. No two people are alike, making it harder to provide treatment options based on typical concerns. No brain injury is typical.
Individuals react differently to brain injuries because every brain is different. The left and right brain control the body, but not all people have each hemisphere controlling the same things.
For instance, although the left half of the brain might control language-related functions in some people, the right half of the brain may control it in others. Hurting the brain on that side on one patient could impact his or her ability to speak, whereas another individual may have problems with movement or sensation instead.
Every brain has six parts that could be impacted by an injury. Usually, traumatic brain injuries impact multiple parts of the brain. For instance, if the frontal and parietal lobes are both affected, the individual could have trouble communicating or reasoning as well as struggling with touch or other senses. Comparatively, someone with occipital lobe and parietal lobe injuries could have trouble with his or her senses and a loss of vision.
The majority of those who suffer from traumatic brain injuries regain the ability to talk or use their hands within a year following the injury. Physical issues aren’t usually the problem, but instead, the person may struggle with coordination or weakness.
If you’ve suffered a brain injury, you need specialized care. If your injury was the fault of another person, you should explore your legal right to compensation to help pay for that care.
Source: Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center, “Understanding TBI: Part 2 – Brain injury impact on individuals functioning,” accessed Jan. 15, 2018