What are the signs of traumatic brain injury?

After suffering from a motorcycle crash, you will likely not walk away without injury. This is unfortunately true even if you wear all the proper clothing and safety gear, and abide by the speed laws in your area.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are among the most common, even among riders who wear their helmets. What are the potential signs that the head injury you have is a TBI?

Physical effects

Mayo Clinic examines potential signs of traumatic brain injury. They manifest in physical, mental, behavioral and emotional ways. Physical signs often show first. This can include consciousness disorders, such as passing out or even falling into a coma. Victims often suffer from migraines that worsen in severity with time. They may also have nerve damage that results in numb hands and feet. Finally, keep an eye out for unevenly dilated pupils or clear fluid draining from the nose or ears.

How mental effects impact emotional states

Mentally, victims often experience severe confusion and memory loss. Victims often cannot remember how they got into the crash. They may forget things within seconds of it happening. The confusion is sometimes bad enough that the victim cannot clearly communicate.

This may drive them to emotional or behavioral irregularities. For example, many TBI victims will lash out at their loved ones, especially if they try to take them to a doctor. They might say uncharacteristic things. They could also suffer a breakdown due to feeling overwhelmed by other effects, which may include crying or catatonia. Regardless of their reactions, you should still take them to see a medical professional immediately for quick treatment.