What is a Cerebral Contusion?
An injury of the head or brain can lead to permanent, long-lasting health complications. These injuries can impact friends and family members in addition to the individual involved in the traumatic accident. In some cases, these traumatic brain injuries can make it difficult to return to normal daily activities. Like other medical problems, there are lots of different types of traumatic brain injuries. One of these is termed a cerebral contusion, which has the potential to cause life-changing complications.
Definition of a Cerebral Contusion
A cerebral contusion is one of the most common types of head or brain injuries. In a cerebral contusion, the brain tissue is bruised. This bruise is often evident when head imaging is performed. Cerebral contusions span the spectrum from relatively minor to life-threatening. Some studies have shown that cerebral contusions make up about a quarter of all severe injuries or the head. In some cases, there might be small, microscopic brain bleeds that occur. This is what causes the bruising that is seen by the physician during examination. Several steps must take place when an individual is being evaluated for a cerebral contusion. Furthermore, there are serious complications that might occur.
Evaluating a Cerebral Contusion
The most common cause of a cerebral contusion is a blow to the head. There are multiple causes of head impacts which include auto accidents, slip and fall injuries, and physical assaults. Various symptoms an individual could demonstrate include:
- A severe headache
- Substantial confusion and altered mental status
- Excessive fatigue or sleepiness
- Dizziness or vertigo
- An intermittent or continuous loss of consciousness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Seizures
- Personality changes
- Some difficulty with vision and hearing
Any individual who presents to a medical provider with this history and these symptoms will likely require imaging of their head. This could take the form of a CT scan or an MRI. These imaging scans will often demonstrate a noticeable bruise of the brain tissue. This confirms the diagnosis of a cerebral contusion.
Treatment and Complications of a Blow to the Head
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, the treatment is geared toward preventing complications from developing. In some cases, a cerebral contusion might heal without any intervention at all. This decision is primarily based on the individual’s symptoms. Those who are well-appearing might not require anything more than Tylenol or Motrin. On the other hand, those who present with severe symptoms or who have a large contusion evident on imaging will require more intervention. Some of the treatment strategies include:
- Preventing electrolyte abnormalities, such as low sodium.
- Keeping blood pressures and intracranial pressures within reasonable limits.
- Ensuring that the pH of the blood is appropriate.
Failure to carry out the treatments above could lead to a cerebral herniation, which can be life-threatening.
Watch YouTube Video: Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury. This video created by Shepherd Center provides a closer look at traumatic brain injuries.
Contacting an Injury Attorney
If an individual has suffered a blow to the head, particularly one that leads to a bruise of the brain, it can place family members and friends under a large amount of stress. Family members might be focused on the medical recovery, only to discover that there are numerous other issues that they must address. It is understandable for family members to have questions and concerns. Under these circumstances, meeting with a brain injury lawyer can be helpful. An attorney can provide assistance by:
- Reviewing the details of the accident, ensuring that the fault has been assigned appropriately.
- Holding potentially negligent individuals accountable for the results of their actions (or inaction).
- Seeking damages related to the injuries, emotional pain, and suffering.
- Taking the case to trial, if this is required.
No family should ever feel as though they need to face these tough situations alone. Call a compassionate Bay Area traumatic brain injury lawyer to find out more about your options. You and your family could be entitled to a financial award.
San Francisco Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a San Francisco Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer. A cerebral contusion can lead to lasting neurological deficits. If a member of your family has suffered a head or brain injury in an accident, call me as soon as possible at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice.
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What is a Cerebral Contusion?: Autoaccident.com
Image by Weksart on Pixabay. The picture has been printed here with permission/ What is a Cerebral Contusion?.
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