What are the symptoms of a serious traumatic brain injury?

 

A: There are a number of symptoms that can indicate you are suffering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI).  If you or someone in your family has a TBI, the symptoms may appear quickly, right after the injury, or they may take a few days to show up.

• Serious traumatic brain injury symptoms include:
• Loss of consciousness, or “blacking out”
• Confusion, agitation, anger or any unusual emotion
• Slurred speech and difficulty communicating
• Repeated vomiting, nausea
• Headaches, especially a headache that gets worse over time
• Seizures, convulsions, loss of coordination
• One or both pupils dilated
• Clear fluid draining from the victim’s nose or ears
• Difficulty controlling bowels or bladder

Immediate medical treatment is warranted for suspected cases of brain injury, as serious secondary injury can result from swelling or bleeding that happens after the accident.