When you are involved in a car accident, head injuries are a common occurrence. While head injuries can come in a variety of forms, here is a look at the types of head injuries that are most commonly associated with car accidents.
Concussion
A form of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, a concussion occurs when your brain strikes the inside of your skull. This may happen if your car comes to a sudden stop as a part of the accident, with the momentum causing your brain to continue to move forward inside of your skull. Concussions are typically characterized by the following symptoms:
- Amnesia about the accident
- Confusion
- Difficulty concentrating
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Feeling of “pressure” inside of the head
- Headache
- Light-headedness or feeling “dazed”
- Loss of consciousness
- Nausea
- Personality changes
- Ringing in the ears
- Slurred speech
Contusion
A contusion, or a bruise on the brain, may occur when you experience direct impact on your head. You may experience a contusion if you hit your head on your steering wheel or against a window during your car accident. Typical symptoms associated with contusions include:
- Balancing issues
- Cognitive changes
- Concentration issues
- Coordination issues
- Difficulty with forming new memories
- Difficulty with forming sentences
- Numbness or tingling in the affected area
- Slurred speech
Penetrating Wound
It is also possible to experience a penetrating head wound if an external object penetrates your skull. Symptoms of a penetrating head wound may include:
- Bleeding from the ear
- Coma
- Difficulty breathing
- Heavy loss of blood
- Loss of bowel or bladder function
- Loss of consciousness
- Loss of movement or sensation in the limbs
- Paralysis
- Seizure
If you have experienced these or any other type of head injury from a car accident, contact Advanced Spine & Rehab to learn more about how we can help you with your treatment and recovery.