Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: What It Is & What You Should Know

Brain injuries are always serious, but it is important to understand the difference between a classical traumatic brain injury and a mild traumatic brain injury, or mTBI. Doctors consider the injury to be an mTBI if the disorientation and loss of consciousness associated with it is less than 30 seconds in duration. It is important to realize that even though the medical community classifies these types of injuries as "mild," they are still serious, warrant medical attention and can cause a number of issues for those who suffer from them.

Some of the other names for mTBI include minor head trauma, minor head injury, and concussions. This type of brain injury is the most common, and many times, people and those around them do not even know they are suffering from an mTBI at the time. Most of the time, the symptoms will go away within a few hours or a few days. However, in approximately 15% of people who suffer mTBI, the symptoms will last for a year, and even longer in some cases.

What are the most common symptoms of mTBI?

While these symptoms may not all be present in everyone who suffers from this type of brain injury, they are the ones most commonly reported by patients and include:

• Headaches
• Problems with vision
• Fatigue
• Loss of memory
• Depression
• Dizziness
• Trouble sleeping
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Irritability and other emotional problems
• Trouble concentrating

Some of the other symptoms that some people might have, but that are not quite as common, include:

• Nausea
• Loss of sense of smell
• Slowness in thinking
• Increased sensitivity to light and sounds

The problem with trying to determine whether someone has a sustained an mTBI is that it is not always noticeable. Many times, people seem to be moving, thinking, and speaking as they normally do. They appear fine on the outside to those who observe them. However, they may not feel right internally.

It's important for the injured party, as well as those around the person, to be attentive to any changes that can present themselves after a head injury and to seek expert medical attention when an injury of this nature is suspected.

Diagnosis of a Brain Injury Can Be Difficult

Often, the symptoms of an mTBI will not appear right away. In some cases, it can take several days or even several weeks before they appear and present themselves in a noticeable way, making it difficult to diagnose.

Anyone who has had a head injury, whether it seemed serious at the time, should make it a point to get in touch with a neurological expert for an exam after the injury. It may also be a good idea for the patient, as well as family members, to take note of any and all out-of-the-ordinary behaviors or feelings after the incident. Looking for the little things can help doctors to make the determination of whether the patient is suffering from an mTBI or not.

Looking for a Sports Neurology expert? Call me at Vernon B. Williams, MD, Inc. today.

If you are in need of an expert witness for an mTBI matter, I can be reliable source of information you need. I am an experienced sport concussion expert witness and board certified neurologist with two decades of experience.

Contact me today to discuss how I can help you protect the rights of injured individuals.