What Causes Brain Injury Accidents?
Though the brain is well-protected by the skull, modern inventions can cause trauma that our bodies are not prepared to withstand. Some of the leading causes of traumatic brain injury include:
- Auto accidents: Brain injuries are horribly common in car, tractor trailer, and motorcycle crashes due to the high speeds and hard objects involved.
- Workplace injuries: Factory, construction, and offshore jobs are places where helmets are mandatory because head, neck, and brain trauma are at such high risk.
- Slip-and-fall accidents: Whether on icy steps or in a slippery grocery aisle, the speed at which one’s head hits the ground during a slip-and-fall injury can cause serious harm.
- Sports collisions: Football clashes, baseball hits, and hockey falls are just a few examples of how an otherwise healthy sport could cause a devastating injury.
- Overexertion: Stress causes real damage to the body, and in some instances the panic response caused by a crash or the physical exertion of one’s work can cause a stroke, heart attack, or blood clot that could permanently injure the brain.
If you have been in any of these types of accidents, seek medical treatment immediately. Even accidents where the head is not directly contacted can result in brain injury (such as a whiplash concussion, where the brain is jolted inside the skull). If anything feels off or unusual after a crash or fall, don’t assume it’s nothing—brain injury symptoms may not manifest right away. Delays in diagnosis and treatment can worsen a person’s outcome.