Emergency departments all across the country have at least one thing in common: they see many patients who develop a traumatic brain injury (TBI) after a slip and fall incident. Whether it’s uneven gravel, a wet sidewalk, or even getting off a bicycle, TBIs can be a common injury.
In fact, falls lead to nearly half of the TBI-related hospitalizations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Anybody can experience a TBI, but older populations are especially prone to these injuries and can develop more severe complications.
While concussions are typically described as “mild” TBIs, these injuries still have lasting impacts. So, whether you are in a car crash or you slip and fall, it’s important to remember that medical intervention may be necessary and important to the healing process and for your health later in life.
What is a TBI?
Traumatic brain injuries happen when there is trauma to the head that causes alteration to brain function. This may be because of a blow, a jolt, or a bump to the head. Falling and hitting your head on a hard object or the ground can cause a TBI. With a concussion, for example, that sudden force of energy causes the brain to shift around in the skull.
“Your brain spends its life packed tight inside your skull, afloat in a thin layer of fluid that prevents it from sloshing around too much as you go about your day. But when you get hit in the head, the force of the blow can overwhelm that fluid barrier, squishing your brain against the inside of your skull,” explain experts from the University of California on why some TBIs are worse than others.
If that sounds jarring, it’s because it can be.
Concussions are among the most common head injuries. In emergency departments, clinicians often see concussions that are the result of traffic crashes, sports injuries, and falls.
If you’ve hit your head after slipping, you may experience TBI symptoms, including:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Confusion or altered mental state, such as feeling brain fog
- Changes in mood (anxiety or depression)
- Ringing in ears
- Sensitivity to light or sound
- Difficulty with sleep or experiencing the need to sleep more than normal
For many people these symptoms don’t arrive immediately after the injury. Sometimes TBI symptoms can take days to appear.
“Symptoms of mild TBI and concussion are different for each person. Symptoms may change during recovery. For example, you may have headaches and feel sick to your stomach earlier on. A week or two after your injury you may notice you feel more emotional than usual or have trouble sleeping,” the CDC explains.
TBI symptoms can sometimes take weeks to subside. In some cases, TBI symptoms can linger much longer. Mental health changes can continue long after other injuries from a fall heal. While this can be common, it’s important to remember that it’s not normal and seeking medical care is likely the right choice.
Recovery from a TBI and fall
It’s a good idea to see a health care provider after hitting your head from a fall so they can offer the best advice on recovering. For some people, a few days of rest with limited screen time and physical activity will be helpful. For others, however, even mild TBIs come with the risk of complications and more serious medical implications.
In these more serious cases, a person may need to undergo imaging to assess the injury and stay under the watchful eye of hospital or clinical staff.
Read More: How Age Affects Brain Injuries
While rare, blood clots can develop after a TBI. Worsening headaches, seizures, slurred speech, vomiting, having one larger pupil than the other, and becoming easily confused are all signs that something more serious is happening, and it’s important to seek immediate care.
Other complications include bleeding or swelling in the brain, seizures, and nerve damage. These also require emergency care and should be addressed as quickly as possible to avoid or limit long term brain damage.
For most people, one mild TBI after a fall will not create lasting damage if cared for properly. Remember that recovery from a brain injury is highly personalized, so what works for you may be different than what works for somebody else. A trained professional can work with you to find the best fit for treatment.
Reducing risks of TBIs
Nobody means to slip and fall, causing a TBI. In fact, most people try to avoid it. Still, these injuries can happen in an instant. You hit your head before even realizing exactly what happened to cause it.
Being mindful of wet or slippery conditions won’t eliminate the risk of a potential TBI, but it will help you act accordingly. Avoiding these situations, using a walking aid, or asking for help are often good ideas if you are not stable on your feet.
In sports and in cycling, wearing the appropriate gear, including a helmet, can help reduce risk but won’t always prevent a TBI. You should still wear the helmet as a protective measure because it could mean the difference between a mild TBI and an injury that is much more serious.
Read More: Why Helmets Aren’t 100% Effective
For older adults, seeking out physical therapy and other measures to increase accessibility and agility are critical for preventing falls that can lead to TBI. Improving balance and strength are key elements of mobility, so taking measures to maintain those aspects of health will have big benefits.
Every person’s health journey is unique. The same is true for preventing slips and falls and brain injuries. Talking to a trusted health care professional will help ensure you are preparing yourself to prevent an injury and doing the most you can to care for one if it happens.