Dear Friends, if family or friends show any of these symptoms/signs, be proactive and seek professional medical attention.
The signs and symptoms of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be subtle. Symptoms of a TBI may not appear until days or weeks following the injury or may even be missed as people may look fine even though they may act or feel differently.
- loss of or change in consciousness anywhere from a few seconds to a few hours
- decreased level of consciousness, i.e., hard to awaken
- convulsions or seizures
- unequal dilation in the pupils of the eyes or double vision
- clear fluids draining from the nose or ears
- nausea and vomiting
- new neurologic deficit, i.e., slurred speech; weakness of arms, legs, or face; loss of balance
Headache, dizziness, confusion, and fatigue tend to start immediately after an injury, but resolve over time. Emotional symptoms such as frustration and irritability tend to develop later on during the recovery period. Many of the signs and symptoms can be easily missed as people may appear healthy even though they act or feel different. Many of the symptoms overlap with other conditions, such as depression or sleep disorders.(brainline.org)