Brain Damage: Causes, Most Common Types, Symptoms & Treatment

Brain damage occurs when a persons brain is injured due to traumatic injury, such as a fall or car accident, or nontraumatic injury, such as a stroke.

Doctors more commonly refer to brain damage as brain injury because this term better describes whats happening in the brain.

The brain does not fully mend itself the way a cut or other injury does in the body. Recovery and return to function can depend on the cause of the injury and the persons symptoms.

This article will examine common types, causes, symptoms, and treatments for brain injury.

Doctors usually divide brain damage caused by injury into two categories: traumatic and nontraumatic.

Traumatic brain injuries occur due to a blow, shaking, or strong rotational injury to the head that damages the brain. Examples of these injuries include:

Doctors may also call a nontraumatic brain injury an acquired brain injury. Examples of nontraumatic brain injuries include:

These are just some of the examples of the most common types of brain injury.

Multiple contributing factors can lead to brain injury. Examples of the causes of traumatic brain injury include:

Examples of the causes of nontraumatic brain injury include:

The brain is a complex organ. Each portion of the brain has different functions. The damaged area can determine a persons symptoms. Brain swelling that affects the brain as a whole can also cause different symptoms.

Some general symptoms doctors associate with brain injury include:

Brain damage can cause personality changes as well as physical symptoms. Sometimes, a doctor may be able to predict what symptoms a person may have based on the area of the brain that was damaged. Some examples include:

Injuries to the brain stem can be catastrophic. The brain stem, located in the back bottom portion of the head, is responsible for breathing, heart rate, and sleeping cycles.

Symptoms may also depend on if the left or right side of the brain is damaged.

When diagnosing a brain injury, a doctor will first consider the persons symptoms and the events that led to their injury. For example, they may ask if other people saw the person lose consciousness for a time period.

They will also consider if the person is acting very differently from their usual behavior or if the person is speaking and responsive to others.

Doctors will also perform other types of testing to determine the extent of an injury. Examples of these tests include:

There are many potential causes of brain damage. Additional testing may depend on a persons symptoms and type of injury.

Treatments for brain damage depend on the type of injury and the persons symptoms. They can also vary over time, as doctors see the extent to which a persons brain was damaged.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, an estimated 50 percent of patients with severe head injuries require surgery. This is true when theres significant bleeding in the brain, a tumor, or foreign objects that are in the skull or brain itself.

A surgeon may place special tools to monitor a persons intracranial pressure or to drain blood or cerebral spinal fluid. This can help reduce pressure in the brain and prevent ongoing injury.

If a persons brain injury is severe or theyve experienced other injuries to the body, a doctor may insert a breathing tube to support their breathing while their brain and body heal.

Doctors may also administer antibiotics to treat infections or medications to treat electrolyte imbalances.

After treating the most acute brain injury stages, doctors may recommend treatments such as:

Brain injury can take time and effort to recover. Some people may never fully return to their cognitive function before their injury. Over time and with treatment, doctors can work with a person and their loved ones to identify realistic expectations for a persons recovery.

Brain injury is devastating to a person and their loved ones. Several resources exist to provide support and education. These resources include:

A person can also ask their doctor or therapist about area support groups.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the combined rate of traumatic brain injury emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths, totaled 823.7 per 100,000 people in 2010.

The prognosis for an individual with brain injury depends on the severity of the injury and the persons overall health prior to the injury.

Open communication with a persons medical team can foster a realistic sense of prognosis after brain injury.

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Brain Damage: Causes, Most Common Types, Symptoms & Treatment