A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a type of concussion caused by a blow to the head (focal TBI) or forceful shaking or rapid head movement (diffuse TBI), both of which can occur in a car accident. Even those involved in slow-speed car accidents can suffer from a mild TBI.
A whiplash-type injury is when the head whips front to back (Head-on impact), back to front (Rear-end impact), or side to side (T-Bone impact). During a whiplash injury, sudden head movement may cause the brain to bounce back and forth against the skull, causing a minimal concussion or mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI). Also known in the medical world as a contrecoup head injury.
In some cases, the victim may or may not lose consciousness. Regardless of consciousness, a traumatic brain injury could affect your memory, balance, coordination, and other essential brain functions.
There is a wide range of injuries that can occur in a car crash. Neck, back, and other musculoskeletal injuries are the most common, but one of the most commonly ignored or undetected injuries is a concussion or TBI. Mild TBI’s are often not diagnosed after a car accident, sports injury, or slip and fall injury.
Traditional Diagnostic Testing
The diagnostic testing that is traditionally used to evaluate brain injury consists of imaging that looks at brain structure like CT, MRI, PET, or SPECT scans. While these tests can be pretty helpful, the results are often within normal limits in patients suffering from traumatic brain injury because those diagnostic tests don’t tell us much about brain function.
Testing We Use At Horizon TBI & Brain Center
The diagnostic testing we use in our offices to help evaluate traumatic brain injury is designed to measure brain function problems rather than structure. By assessing eye movements, balance, brain waves, memory, reaction time, sleep problems, and other parameters, we can better understand the ideal treatment options for patients suffering from a brain injury.
