Leading Causes And Effects Of Brain Injuries

One of the most catastrophic types of injuries a person can suffer is one affecting the brain. Unfortunately, head injuries in Connecticut and throughout the United States are common occurrences according to statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Injuries such as a traumatic brain injury account for 30 percent of the nation’s injury deaths.

Lasting Impacts of a Brain Injury

However, not all brain injuries prove to be fatal. Those who survive a TBI can end up living with serious limitations and changes as a result of the damage they have experienced. Issues from memory loss to headaches and personality changes to impaired physical function can change the way a person thinks, behaves and feels.

The risk of experiencing a brain injury may be higher than people realize. Any time a person experiences a blow to the head, whether it is in a car accident, while playing sports, or during a fight, the brain can be damaged. According to the CDC, 2.2 million cases of TBI were diagnosed in emergency departments in 2010.

The people at highest rate of suffering a traumatic injury are people over the age of 65 and in many cases the injury is the result of a fall. In fact, over 80 percent of TBI experienced by people in this age group are caused by a fall.

On the other end of the spectrum, childbirth, particularly a difficult delivery, can result in head and brain injury to newborns. Birth-related brain traumas include skull fractures, bleeding in the brain, nerve damage and insufficient oxygen to the brain.

No matter what the cause of a New Haven brain injury is or when it was suffered, the fact is that victims can experience life-changing effects of the trauma, and tens of thousands of people die from their injuries every year.