Brain Damage: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment (cont.)
In this Article
- Brain damage introduction
- What are the types of brain damage and how severe are they?
- What causes brain damage?
- What are the symptoms of brain damage?
- How are brain damage and brain injuries treated?
- Can I prevent brain injuries?
- Find a local Doctor in your town
What causes brain damage?
When the brain is starved of oxygen for a prolonged period of time, brain damage may occur. Brain damage can occur as a result of a wide range of injuries, illnesses, or conditions. Because of high-risk behaviors, males between the ages of 15 and 24 are most vulnerable. Young children and the elderly also have a higher risk.
Causes of traumatic brain injury include:
- car accidents
- blows to the head
- sports injuries
- falls or accidents
- physical violence
Causes of acquired brain injury include:
- poisoning or exposure to toxic substances
- infection
- strangulation, choking, or drowning
- stroke
- heart attacks
- tumors
- aneurysms
- neurological illnesses
- abuse of illegal drugs
What are the symptoms of brain damage?
There are numerous symptoms of brain damage, whether traumatic or acquired. They fall into four major categories:
- cognitive
- perceptual
- physical
- behavioral/emotional
Cognitive symptoms of brain damage include:
- difficulty processing information
- difficulty in expressing thoughts
- difficulty understanding others
- shortened attention span
- inability to understand abstract concepts
- impaired decision-making ability
- memory loss
Perceptual symptoms of brain damage include:
- change in vision, hearing, or sense of touch
- spatial disorientation
- inability to sense time
- disorders of smell and taste
- balance issues
- heightened sensitivity to pain
Physical symptoms of brain damage include:
- persistent headaches
- extreme mental fatigue
- extreme physical fatigue
- paralysis
- tremors
- seizures
- sensitivity to light
- sleep disorders
- slurred speech
- loss of consciousness
Behavioral/emotional symptoms of brain damage include:
- irritability and impatience
- reduced tolerance for stress
- sluggishness
- flattened or heightened emotions or reactions
- denial of disability
- increased aggressiveness
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