Recovering From Brain Trauma: What to Expect on Your Journey to Healing

When you experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI), you are probably wondering about your recovery. 

Because of the complexity of the brain and central nervous system, it’s difficult to predict how any TBI will respond, regardless of how mild, moderate, or severe the symptoms are. 

Recovery requires patience because each experience is unique. The doctors at Coast Neurosurgical Associates in Long Beach, California, play a crucial role in the treatment and recovery from brain trauma, particularly for more serious conditions. 

Recovering from brain trauma

A TBI affects how your brain functions, often in unpredictable ways. The severity of the injury doesn’t always correspond to the severity of your symptoms or even the duration of your recovery. 

There’s a wide variation in symptoms and treatments for TBIs, so your experience may be different from another person with a similar injury. Despite this, there are often common points along the recovery timeline. 

Let’s take a look at the recovery timeline below.

Recovery from concussion (mild TBI)

Many mild concussions can resolve completely within a week of injury, the fastest result you can expect, while typical recovery usually takes several months. During your symptomatic phase, you may experience signs like: 

• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Sleep disruptions
• Inability to concentrate
• Irritability 
• Memory loss
• Light and sound sensitivities

When symptoms persist longer than three months, you may be experiencing post-concussion syndrome. Some or all of your symptoms may continue without improvement until you seek treatment. 

Recovering from moderate to severe TBI

Interestingly, though moderate and severe TBIs have serious symptoms and long-term recovery profiles, they tend to be somewhat more predictable across recovery trajectories than mild TBIs. 

In the first six months after a serious TBI, you’re likely to experience the fastest improvement in symptoms. You’ll likely see continued improvements in the 6-24-month period, although progress will likely be noticeably slower. 

60% of people with TBI who lost the ability to walk as a result of their injury overcome this limitation. Cognitive and speech skills usually improve dramatically by one year post-injury. About half of the people with a TBI can drive again at the second anniversary of their injury. 

After 24 months, recovery continues, but the rate of progress usually slows considerably. Once again, individual results can vary considerably. 

The role of neurosurgeons in TBI recovery

Severe TBI cases may have immediate life-threatening conditions like brain bleeds and swelling, requiring prompt surgical attention. We also help to guide long-term recovery through diagnostic analysis, improving recovery and rehabilitation outcomes. 

Contact Coast Neurosurgical Associates to discuss your TBI recovery. Call or click to book your consultation today.