Understanding the Long-Term Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) result from impacts or jolts that affect your head. Penetrative injuries, such as a gunshot, can also create significant brain injuries. 

The intensity of the original trauma can sometimes influence the duration and symptoms you experience, although it’s not always predictable. Serious trauma tends to lead to more significant brain tissue damage and more severe complications. 

At Coast Neurosurgical Associates in Long Beach, California, our team is here to partner with you through the process of TBI recovery. We’re brain trauma specialists through diagnosis, surgery, and recovery, regardless of how long your symptoms persist. 

How your brain can be affected by traumatic injury

Much depends on the severity of trauma as well as what parts of the brain experience damage. Usually, TBIs are divided into three categories:

• Mild (concussion): loss of consciousness (LOC) under 30 minutes, hospitalization rarely needed
• Moderate: LOC under 24 hours, hospitalization is normal, brain scans are often abnormal
• Severe: LOC over 24 hours (coma), hospitalization is required, brain scans are abnormal

Any level of brain injury can have long-term effects on your life. 

Common long-term effects of TBI

The complexity of the brain means that no two cases of TBI are alike. However, there are certain recognizable or recurring patterns. 

Behavioral and emotional changes

• Trouble with impulse control and social interaction
• Anxiety, depression, irritability
• Personality changes
• Uncharacteristic regulation of emotions

Cognitive effects

• Loss of attention span, inability to focus
• Decision-making and reasoning skills are impaired
• Learning disorders
• Memory issues

Physical symptoms

• Chronic headaches
• Dizziness or fatigue
• Changes in sensory perception, including hearing, smell, taste, and vision
• Balance difficulties
• Weakness and loss of coordination

Effects on daily life

• Loss of judgment or productivity at school or work
• Skills for independent living may be impaired
• Maintaining relationships may become challenging
• Increased dependence on others

Your future risk of complications can increase because of a TBI. You have a statistically higher chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease after a TBI. 

More than one TBI increases your risk of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive neurodegenerative condition. 

How long will the long-term effects of TBI last? 

Brain injuries are unpredictable. While mild TBIs may show effects for only a few weeks, it’s also possible that the effects persist for months, years, or permanently. Any TBI should be considered a chronic condition. 

Many TBI conditions resolve between 6 and 24 months. Sometimes, symptoms can first present months or years after the original injury. 

The right treatment, started early, can make a difference, taking advantage of your brain’s plasticity, its ability to “rewire” itself. 

Contact Coast Neurosurgical Associates as soon as possible after your TBI incident for a full evaluation and treatment plan with our team. Book your consultation online or by phone to get started on the road to recovery today.