Head and brain injuries are among some of the most dangerous that humans can face and can prove fatal without proper care. These injuries are, unfortunately, fairly common in the UK with someone admitted to the hospital with a brain injury every 90 seconds and every three minutes for head injuries according to data collected by Headway in 2019/20.
Surgery is often needed for these injuries to prevent any damage from getting worse and this requires a lengthy recovery period. You must take your rehabilitation seriously as failure to do this can result in lasting damage.Â
To help you know the stages of recovering from head and brain injuries, we’ve put together a handy guide for you to follow. Find out more below.
Why are head and brain injuries dangerous?Â
Brain and head injuries are so dangerous because they can be life-threatening. Men in their 80s are most at risk of dying because of an injury to the head but it can impact people of all ages too. These injuries can also happen just about anywhere too from personal accidents to playing sports, which means you can potentially have a life-changing injury occur when you least expect it.Â
Those that do make a full recovery may lose some brain functionality, which can lead to other elsewhere in the body too.Â
Stages of recovery
Immediate care
As soon as the initial injury occurs, your body will require immediate attention. Oxygen should be administered to ensure the brain continues to get the right amount and ensure you do not move them until medical professionals arrive. If any bleeding does occur then try to stop it by applying firm pressure to the wound with a clean cloth. However, if there is a suspected skull fracture then don’t apply direct pressure to the wounded area.Â
Understanding the symptoms
Following head trauma or other causes of a brain injury, you may not realise that you’re currently suffering from this injury. Some of the signs you should look out for to diagnose yourself include the following:Â
- Bleeding from a wound, the nose or ears
- Vomiting
- Bad headaches
- Falling in and out of consciousnessÂ
- Discoloured eyes
- Lack of balanceÂ
- SeizuresÂ
Rehabilitation
The type of rehabilitation you need varies depending on the severity of your head or brain injury. Common rehabilitation can consist of any of the following:Â
- Physical therapyÂ
- Speech therapyÂ
- Psychiatric care
- Social care
Rehabilitation can sometimes be expensive for head or brain injuries and so, if your brain injury wasn’t your fault, then you may be about to access compensation by making a brain injury claim. This can help you recover and get back to your everyday activities sooner.
Returning to life
These injuries can be life-changing and so, you’ll find that life has a new normal and you’ll have to adapt to it. Try to be patient and not push yourself too hard early on and you should get to a stage where you can live the best quality of life possible and avoid other injuries too.
