What are some common signs of a brain injury?

If you experience a sudden jolt or blow to your head, you could incur a traumatic brain injury. For example, if you hit your head during a car accident or another type of serious accident, you could sustain a brain injury.

According to the Brain Trauma Foundation, the severity of brain injuries can vary and while some may only experience mild head trauma, others can fall into a severe coma. Below are some common cognitive, sensory and physical symptoms you may experience if you suffered head trauma during a car accident.

Cognitive symptoms

You may have a hard time remembering what you need to do and concentrating on certain tasks if you have a TBI. Other cognitive symptoms include having a hard time sleeping, sleeping more than you normally do, experiencing significant mood changes and losing consciousness for up to a few minutes at a time.

Sensory symptoms

If you incurred head trauma during a collision, you may become sensitive to bright lights and loud sounds. You may also experience a ringing sound in your ears, blurred vision and a bad taste in your mouth.

Physical symptoms

With a TBI, you may have a severe headache, nausea or vomiting and problems with your speech. You may also feel dizzy, lose your balance and feel fatigued or drowsy throughout your day.

It can take time to recover from the symptoms of a brain injury, and some of these symptoms may not show up all at once. Depending on your accident, you may notice new brain injury symptoms days or even weeks following the initial trauma.