A traumatic brain injury occurs when you sustain a blow to the head. During an accident, the impact of the collision can tear nerve tissue and damage the brain’s structure.
While your prognosis depends on the severity of the TBI, it can also depend on other factors.
Previous Traumatic Brain Injuries
If you have had multiple brain injuries, particularly over a short period of time, you may have a difficult time recovering. However, if you had multiple mild TBIs that managed to heal entirely, you have a better chance of experiencing a normal recovery.
Other Physical Injuries
When you have multiple physical injuries after an accident, expect a slower recovery time. Your body has to expend more energy healing multiple injuries. In addition, you may have a variety of medications, treatments and adjustments to make in your daily life with each individual injury.
Emotional Stress
Emotional stress can affect your ability to heal. Following a head injury, you are likely to experience various emotional changes. In some cases, emotional stress can also manifest with physical symptoms. The time following a car accident is notoriously stressful. On top of the stress from the accident, you may have to deal with the impact of your TBI on your life. In some cases, the emotional symptoms may also be similar to the symptoms of your TBI.
To help reduce some of the complications associated with a TBI, make sure you have a support system to reach out to. When you have support from loved ones, you may find it easier to recover from moderate to severe injuries.