What is a brain injury?

A brain injury can be caused by an accident, for example -  a fall or a blow to the head. This is a traumatic brain injury. However, sometimes there are no reasons why a brain injury occurs. This can be a haemorrhage, tumor or a stroke. These are called acquired brain injuries.

What is a coma?

When a person experiences a brain injury, they can become unconscious. Coma is defined as a state of unconsciousness from which the individual cannot be awakened, in which the individual responds minimally or not at all to stimuli, and initiates no voluntary activities. However, the doctors may choose to put a person into a coma state. This is because the person may need to rest all parts of the brain and body for a while. A person may move while in a coma if touched. A coma can be a bodies way of resting while the brain recovers.

When is it known how bad the injury is?

Unfortunately, there is no simple answer but you will have to wait and see. This is because each brain injury is different and every outcome is different. Many brain injured persons will require rehabilitation, and some may become fully abled body, where as others may have some disabilities for the rest of there life.

How should the family feel?

Below is a list of the usual reactions and feelings the family will feel. These are usual, and in no way mean you do not care about the person.

Guilt - You may ask yourself if there was anything different you could have done. Even an argument you had the day before will play on your mind. But in no way should you feel guilty.

Denial - Families often talk to others about denial. It is hard to admit that a family memory has suffered a brain injury and may need a lot of help in the future. This is a normal feeling and it will pass.

Anger - You may feel angry towards doctors, or towards someone that may have caused the brain injury. Anger is a strong emotion; however, your help is needed 100% to help the person who has had the brain injury.

Shock - At first, it is perfectly normal to feel shock. The way you react does not make you a good or bad person. It is normal, and there is support to help you understand your feelings.

Will the outcome be the same for every brain injury?

The simple answer to this is no. Every individual is different. Where as the majority of people that have had a brain injury  have some disabilities for life, many go on to have an active life, some returning to work, getting married and even having a family.

Will the brain injured person need constant help for the rest of their life?

Some people do require some kind of aid to help in their daily living. This can be in the home or to undertake such tasks as shopping or visiting friends. There is no reason why a brain injured person cannot continue living life to the full. Where as family and friends will always help, there is a lot of support available. A lot of brain injured people have carers that spend a lot of time helping the brain injured person to live independently. But carers can become close friends and therefore the help they provide becomes easier to bear.

 When will we know how bad the injury is?

 Unfortunately, this may take a while. Where as the person may be left unable to walk or talk at first, this may improve with rehabilitation. A common factor of brain injury is memory problems. This may not seem a problem at first, but may become more difficult as the person continues a daily life. There are many things that may help all these problems, and again a lot of help and exercises can help improve or adapt to the given situation.

 Will the brain injured person suffer seizures?

Seizures are common in severely brain injured people. Medication may control the seizures, but other help is also available from therapists. The brain injured person may be on medication for years after the seizures have stopped. This is to prevent them reoccurring.

Will the brain heal itself?

Shortly after the brain injury, the cells can heal, but this will depend on the operation that was performed. Some of the brain tissue may have been destroyed at the time, and new cells do not grow. Some brain tissue will be permanentely scarred, but the brain is very clever and can use other parts of the brain to adapt to situations.

How much rehabilitation will the brain injured person need?

Rehabilitation is started shortly after a brain injury occurs. This can be intense and hard work. You can have physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and even a physcologist. You may need to have these for years, and you may notice you make lots of progress one month, and none the next. It is all hard work, but it's worth it in the end.