You’re likely familiar with concussions — you may even be one of the millions of people who experience a concussion each year.
But did you know a concussion is considered a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI)? Brain injuries need to be taken seriously — after all, they can increase someone’s chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s. 50,000 people die each year because of traumatic brain injuries, which equates to 153 people every day in the U.S.
Nearly one-third of injury-related deaths are caused by TBI, and 43 percent of people hospitalized for brain injury develop a disability. If you aren’t sure whether your traumatic brain injury has created permanent damage, check whether you have any of these symptoms.
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Difficulty processing language
- Personality changes
- Hearing and vision loss
- Impaired motor function
- Memory loss
Talk to a doctor if you’re concerned about TBI’s effect on your life. It’s also good to know the leading causes of traumatic brain injury. Falling down, being hit by an object (like a football) or crashing your car are all likely to lead to brain injury.
To learn even more about the prevalence of brain injuries, check out our post here. And as always, if you aren’t sure whether you’re experiencing symptoms, talk to a medical professional.