What is the Most Common Type of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)?

Millions of Americans sustain traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yet, there can be a great deal of diversity between one person’s TBI experience and another’s. The cause, severity, and symptoms of a TBI can vary from person to person.

But some types of TBIs are more common than others, and many TBIs share certain circumstances as well. It’s important to understand how these injuries happen, how they are categorized, and what the most common type of TBI looks like.

Common Causes of TBIs

A traumatic brain injury occurs when you suffer a blow to the head, and the force of that blow causes injury to your brain. Car accidents, sports injuries, and falls are common causes of TBIs in the United States. Other potential causes of a TBI could include an act of violence or, more infrequently, near-drowning accidents and medical mistakes.

3 Major Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries fall into one of three broad categories of severity, depending on the seriousness and duration of the symptoms. These three categories are as follows:

1. Mild TBIs

The least severe type of TBI is a mild TBI, which is also known as a concussion. Symptoms of a mild TBI could include dizziness, a momentary loss of consciousness, and vision changes, among other symptoms. 

If your TBI is mild, the effects should not last beyond a couple of weeks. There is typically no permanent impairment associated with a mild TBI.

2. Moderate TBIs

A moderate TBI will likely cause you to lose consciousness for a brief period of time, typically between 30 minutes and 24 hours. Other symptoms will also be present, including dizziness, confusion, and memory loss. 

These symptoms will be more pronounced than they would in the case of a mild TBI. Moreover, some of these symptoms may persist for months or years, while others may never fully resolve.

3. Severe TBIs

A severe TBI is the most serious type of traumatic brain injury. It is characterized by unconsciousness that can last for more than 24 hours. Any other symptoms you might experience as a result of your TBI are likely to be pervasive and disabling. You may need some sort of physical assistance with daily tasks for the remainder of your life.

Prompt medical care is necessary to help prevent damage to the brain from worsening. Without appropriate care, a mild or moderate TBI can worsen to become a severe traumatic brain injury.

Concussions Are the Most Common Type of TBI

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development reports that concussions are the most common form of TBI injury. Although these TBIs are considered mild, this does not mean they should not be taken seriously. 

Even if a single mild TBI does not appear to result in lasting harm, the cumulative effect of multiple mild TBIs can be as serious as a moderate or severe TBI. 

The Importance of Treating Any Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injuries can result from any accident that impacts or delivers trauma to the brain, and the most common way this happens is through a concussion. Concussions are often considered mild, but they should not be disregarded. 

Although the loss of consciousness may be brief, and the symptoms may improve in a brief amount of time, any brain damage sustained in a concussion can worsen if left untreated. If you suspect you, your child, or a loved one suffered a concussion, prompt medical treatment is key to ensuring recovery. 

Since 1992, our personal injury attorneys at the Pines Salomon Injury Lawyers, APC. have been fighting for the people of San Diego. Now, when those injured in automobile accidents – including car, truck, and motorcycle accidents – need financial help, or for the families that need to know that the loss of a loved one could have been prevented, there is a personal injury law firm in San Diego that is on their side. If you or a family member has been injured, call the lawyers at Pines Salomon Injury Lawyers, APC. There’s never been a better time than right now to speak to a personal injury attorney—FREE of charge. Call us at 858-551-2090 or request a free consultation online today!