They say that time heals all wounds, but the effects of a traumatic brain injury can sometimes linger for the rest of your life. For others, effective symptom management is key for treating and reducing the long-term effects of traumatic brain injuries. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some of the potential long-term effects of traumatic brain injuries, and we explain some of their treatment options.

Long-Term TBI Symptoms

In many ways, long-term symptoms of a TBI are similar to the short-term symptoms, the only difference being that they persist longer. That being said, there are some symptoms that are more likely to be a long-term problem than a short-term issue. Some of the more common long-term symptoms of a traumatic brain injury include:

• Confusion
• Memory Loss
• Headaches
• Sensitivity to Light
• Sleep Problems
• Balance Issues
• Anxiety
• Depression

While these symptoms can develop as a result of the trauma itself, they can also come about if blood flow or neuropathways are altered in the wake of a head injury. Your brain is used to getting a specific amount of blood flow and having neurons interact in a specific way, and if that becomes significantly changed as a result of a head injury, long-term problems can develop.

Treating Long-Term TBI Symptoms

Treating long-term TBI symptoms is usually achieved in two different ways. The first is through preventative care in the short-term when the head is in its most vulnerable after the injury. In some cases, we can prevent and treat long-term issues by performing an operation to remove a blood clot or to take pressure off the brain that could cause more damage. Other times treatment is much less invasive and may only require removing the individual from physical labor or athletic activity in order to mitigate the risk of more severe damage. Hands-on treatment and preventative care shortly after the trauma is the first step in reducing the long-term effects of a TBI.

The second way neurosurgeons treat TBIs involves implementing solutions when symptoms have failed to heal after a fair amount of time. You may think headaches are just a short-term side effect of your head injury, but if they persist for two, four or eight weeks after your injury, it’s clear they’ve become a long-term problem. In order to effectively treat the issue, we need to get to root cause. It’s not enough to know that a head injury is contributing to your headaches; we need to know what’s driving the problem, like whether it’s a blood flow issue or a problem with your cerebrospinal fluid. To figure this out, you’ll likely have to head back into a neurospecialist’s office.

At Dr. Chang’s office, we have a number of diagnostic tools in our arsenal to help pinpoint the underlying problem and in turn develop solutions that fit your individual needs. Don’t just keep doing the same things and hope that the problem will go away on its own. Be proactive, take charge of your life and actively seek out solutions. For help getting control of your long-term TBI symptoms, or for any neurological issue, reach out to Dr. Chang and his team today.