4 long-term effects of a traumatic brain injury

The brain controls all the functions of the body. Therefore, your brain health should remain front and center after a car crash. While mild traumatic brain injuries don’t have long-term effects, severe injuries to the brain may last longer and have serious long-term effects.

If left unattended, a traumatic brain injury can cause permanent mental or physical disability. Sometimes, even patients who appear to recover fully may experience some long-term effects. Here are some of the long-term effects of a brain injury:

1. Memory issues

A traumatic brain injury may also cause far-reaching effects on your memory. Depending on the extent of the damage, you may notice hitches in recalling things. In addition, while pre-injury memories are usually retained, brain damage may increase the risk of degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s or Dementia. This means that both long-term memories and more immediate ones may be affected.

2. Sensitivity to light and noise

People with serious brain injuries may experience sensitivity to light and noise. Unfortunately, these symptoms may emerge within the first few years after the injury, and these sensory effects can turn into lifelong concerns.

3. Extreme mood swings

You may experience mood swings if the injury damages the brain’s emotional hub. When this part of the brain is damaged, you may notice signs such as anger, depression and irritability. You may also feel worried, tense and overwhelmed. This may make it difficult to cope with stressful things such as school, work, relationships and money problems.

4. Language and communication problems

Difficulty understanding and expressing information may occur after a brain injury. However, this often happens in phases. During the first stages, you may notice problems pronouncing common words. Slurred speech is a serious warning sign that the parts of the brain that control speech muscles are damaged.

If you’re injured in a car accident, ensure you seek immediate medical attention to minimize the impact of the injury on your life. Although treatment may be expensive, you may seek compensation if a negligent driver caused the traumatic brain injury.