No Bay Area cyclist leaves for their destination thinking that they will encounter a crash that causes a traumatic brain injury (TBI), but unfortunately it’s one of the leading reasons that cyclists end up in emergency departments across the country.
Statistics from 2009 to 2018 show that close to 600,000 cyclists landed in emergency care settings for TBIs during that time – and that number seems to be growing with cycling’s rise in popularity and the uptick in people who are turning to electric bicycles (e-bikes) for more speed and more power.
While they are a common injury among cyclists, TBIs can be tricky to diagnose, sometimes difficult to treat, and can leave a patient feeling hopeless.
In personal injury cases at Bay Area Bicycle Law, TBIs are a common experience among clients. For some, it’s an injury that accompanies broken bones, scrapes, and bruises. For nearly all, it’s a frustrating diagnosis, especially when it impacts day-to-day life.
So, what exactly is a traumatic brain injury? You may be surprised to learn how vast the symptoms can be and why researchers still disagree on the best diagnostic criteria.
If you’re involved in a bicycle crash and experiencing TBI symptoms, have hit your head, or suspect you have a brain injury, seek proper medical attention first. The Bay Area Bicycle Law team can help you navigate what’s next. Get started with a free consultation.
Symptoms and diagnosis
Every cyclist should be aware of what a TBI looks and feels like because it can have serious ramifications for your health. Unfortunately, these injuries can often be difficult to spot, especially when you don’t lose consciousness or experience some of the most severe symptoms. Even “mild” TBIs may have long term impacts on quality of life.
You may experience these symptoms with a mild TBI:
- Sensitivity to light and/or noise
- Headaches
- Vision issues and/or dizziness
- Sleeping disturbances, such as insomnia or unusual tiredness
- Brain fog
- Trouble concentrating
- Memory problems
- Nausea or vomiting
- Changes in mood, such as feeling more anxious, sad, or nervous than usual
In more serious cases, TBI symptoms can include the above symptoms in addition to:
- Loss of consciousness, which can last several minutes to several hours
- Extended headache
- Extended vomiting
- Seizure
- Dilated pupils (one or both eyes)
- Muscle weakness
- Clear fluid drainage from nose or ears
- Slurred speech
- Confusion
Experiencing any of these symptoms should warrant a consultation with a doctor. Mild TBIs may not seem serious, but in some cases they can progress and become dangerous. Some symptoms, such as mood changes, may not arise right away and others can be lasting.
You may hear different terminology around your TBI diagnosis. Researchers from the JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute say that a variety of organizations, from the CDC to the World Health Organization to the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, all have differing definitions for mild TBIs. This makes classification confusing and hard to follow for patients and clinicians alike.
Being clear about your symptoms, experiences, and treatment is essential in understanding your TBI and what’s next for you.
READ MORE: Can You Have a TBI Without Loss of Consciousness?
Physicians diagnose TBIs with a physical exam, assessing symptoms, and performing neurological tests. Sometimes, this may include brain imaging if the TBI is thought to be severe or the patient is at high-risk of developing complications.
The Glasgow Coma Scale is among the most popular diagnostic tools that tell clinicians how severe a TBI is. It accounts for consciousness, motor skills, and verbal responses. On the high end of the scale is 15, a normally functioning person. The lowest score of 3 signifies that the patient is in a deep coma.
New research is seeking new and improved ways for classifying TBI, but the Glasgow Coma Scale remains the most popular around the world.
TBI symptoms, especially in mild cases, can vary widely among patients, and so diagnosing TBI is sometimes difficult. Diagnostic criteria is a major point of research, as scientists are working to learn more about symptoms, their effect on the brain, and how to better identify issues and treat them.
Treatment and recovery
For some patients of mild TBI, a few days of rest is the best treatment. However, there is a range of evolving treatments that may be necessary for TBI recovery. In some cases, physical and speech therapy may be necessary. In others, psychological support or cognitive rehabilitation might be required to reclaim some normalcy that existed before a bike crash.
With concussions, a common mild TBI where a jolt or impact forces the head to rapidly move back and forth, it’s advised to take a few days of rest with minimal physical activity and then slowly return to normal. Usually, the injury resolves within two to four weeks.
In severe cases of traumatic brain injury, surgery may be required. In cases where there is bleeding or fluid build up underneath the skull, a surgical treatment might be required to release pressure and promote healing.
When a TBI impacts cognitive performance, it’s common for a patient to undergo therapy to regain those skills. The severity of the injury will dictate how much therapy may be needed and for how long.
TBIs & personal injury cases
When you receive a diagnosis of a “mild” TBI, you may think that it’s not serious and doesn’t require any further follow-up. However, symptoms such as anxiety, headache, and the inability to stay focused can have a big impact on your job, your family, and your life. A mild TBI can cause you to lose out on income and cost you in medical fees.
After a crash, keep a detailed record of your symptoms, your medical bills, and your treatment plan. These are helpful for your recovery and potentially for a personal injury case.
It’s important for cyclists to understand that TBIs, even whey they are categorized as mild, can require serious medical care, and that’s not limited to just one ER visit following the crash.
Working with northern California’s premier law firm dedicated to cyclists means that you’re getting the most knowledgeable and focused team on bike cases. Call us today: (415) 466-8717