What Are the Symptoms of an Undiagnosed Brain Injury?

Whether you were involved in a car crash, sports accident, boating accident, slip and fall, or any other type of accident, you may be at risk of a brain injury. While the accident itself may have been intense, frightening, and even overwhelming, it is important to be on the lookout for symptoms of a traumatic brain injury.

If you fail to notice or simply ignore signs of a brain injury, you could experience devastating effects. To make matters worse, if your brain injury is left untreated or misdiagnosed, it can lead to very severe problems, affecting your mental health, physical health, and overall well-being.

What is a traumatic brain injury?

The Mayo Clinic defines a traumatic brain injury as an injury that occurs to the brain after a “violent blow or jolt to the head or body.” When a person suffers a brain injury, the cells within their brain may become altered, bruised, torn, or completely damaged. Some traumatic brain injuries are mild, and some are severe and life-threatening. Regardless of whether you have a mild or severe traumatic brain injury, you can experience complications. In serious cases, the symptoms can last for life, or the injury can even cause death. Failing to obtain the appropriate medical treatment increases the risk of the injury leading to long-term damage.

How common are brain injuries?

Brain injuries are, unfortunately, very common. According to the International Brain Injury Association, there are around one million people treated in hospital emergency rooms for traumatic brain injuries across the United States each year. Around 230,000 Americans are hospitalized due to traumatic brain injuries annually, and about 50,000 pass away as a result of their traumatic brain injury-related issues.

What are the signs of an undiagnosed brain injury after a Chicago accident?

If you have recently bumped your head or been in any type of accident, several different symptoms could indicate that you have an undiagnosed brain injury. Here are a few of the most common signs that you should keep an eye out for:

• Headaches: Headaches are one of the most common symptoms associated with traumatic brain injuries. These headaches usually occur because of blood or fluid near the brain or in the skull or from changes within the brain cells and tissue. You may think you have a headache because of the stress you are experiencing after the accident. However, if your headache becomes ongoing or excruciating, this may be a telltale sign that you have a traumatic brain injury.
• Changes in feelings and behavior: If you keep track of how you feel or behave after an accident, you may notice that you are more moody, angry, sad, or irritable than usual. While you may brush it off and think that these feelings or behaviors are due to the accident and will subside, they can be signs that you have a brain injury. After an accident, it is common to lose sleep, become frustrated or overwhelmed, and sometimes feel hopeless. However, if anything seems off or abnormal at all, it is important to let your doctor know and get a full check-up to rule out a brain injury as soon as possible.
• Sensory problems: Sensory problems are a big sign that you have a brain injury. Some of the most common sensory problems you may notice are ear ringing, changes in smell, strange tastes, blurry vision, and sensitivity to bright lights or loud sounds.
• Cognitive issues: Cognitive issues are another common indicator of a brain injury. Some cognitive issues you may encounter are memory loss, difficulties processing information, making decisions or solving problems, and more.
• Physical and health changes: Those who have a traumatic brain injury may experience various physical and health changes, such as extreme fatigue, nausea or vomiting, feeling weak or lightheaded, trouble sleeping, feeling dizzy, poor coordination or motor function, breathing issues, and more. You may think that you are simply healing and recovering from the accident. Still, these symptoms are not normal and usually indicate that something more serious is going on with your body, such as a brain injury.

Why would a brain injury go undiagnosed?

There are many reasons why a brain injury may go undiagnosed, including:

• The symptoms can be similar to other illnesses, injuries, and conditions.
• Many brain injuries can take days or weeks to begin presenting symptoms.
• A lot of people choose to wait until their pain or condition becomes worse or unbearable before they seek medical attention.
• It is common for symptoms to be so small or minor that they go unnoticed or ignored.
• A traumatic brain injury may not show up on an MRI or CT scan.
• A doctor may fail to ask the patient certain questions, conduct a thorough examination, review the patient’s medical history and information, and properly diagnose the patient’s brain injury.

What are the consequences if a traumatic brain injury is left untreated?

When a traumatic brain injury is left untreated, a variety of consequences can emerge, impacting the individual’s physical health, mental health, daily routine, and life going forward. These are some of the consequences that frequently occur when a brain injury is left untreated:

• You may develop severe anxiety, depression, anger, mood changes, and substance abuse addictions.
• You may be unable to focus, concentrate, or pay attention, affecting your ability to drive, work, attend classes, and live independently.
• You may experience dizziness, balancing issues, vertigo, and heart rate problems, which can result in needing a temporary or permanent break from certain sports, hobbies, or activities that you normally enjoy.
• You may experience emotional or psychological changes, such as depression, loneliness, fatigue, confusion, isolation, and more. This can impact your social life, friendships, and family relationships tremendously.
• You may become at risk of developing a serious condition such as dementia, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Epilepsy, or strokes.
• The cells in your brain may be irreparable, resulting in long-term loss of mobility and cognitive function.

At Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers, we take our clients’ brain injuries very seriously. Therefore, if you need an experienced and skilled Chicago brain injury attorney by your side to advocate for the justice and compensation you are entitled to, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team at your earliest opportunity. We will help you build a strong and convincing case, obtain the proper medical treatment that you deserve, and collect valuable evidence that proves that the at-fault party’s negligence caused your brain injury. Call our office or submit our contact form to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation in Chicago today.