People often ignore head injuries without noticing any visible damage, disregarding the unseen, invisible damage beneath the surface. The brain’s contents are precious, and it’s crucial for those who hit their head to get a proper diagnosis to eliminate or identify potential traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), ensuring a safe and healthy lifestyle.Dr. Kumar Raj, Consultant and Head Emergency Medicine at ILS Hospital, Kolkata, states that India has the highest rate of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), injuring nearly 500,000 people annually. Despite being common, 71% of TBI cases are mild. He stated “TBI can be serious, and when undiagnosed and untreated, can have long-lasting effects. It’s important for people to know the signs of a concussion and to seek diagnosis and care promptly in these situations.”There are several myths surrounding traumatic brain injuries. Let’s debunk 5 common misconceptions.
Misconceptions 1: Individuals with mild TBI often experience a loss of consciousness. But the fact is most mild TBI patients do not lose consciousness, some may experience symptoms like headaches, vision changes, nausea, or vomiting. It’s crucial to notice these signs after head injury, as they can be mistakenly associated with poor sleep or migraines. It’s not advisable to ignore the idea of seeing stars, as it’s not a sign of TBI.Misconceptions 2: TBI only occurs after hitting the head is false. Concussions can also occur from sudden body shakes, like whiplash, from various sources like car collisions, falling on hard surfaces, or from heights, including sudden jolts from whiplash.
Misconceptions 3: Athletes are at the greatest risk of TBI. Concussions can occur to anyone, anywhere, and are common in India due to road traffic accidents and falls. It’s crucial to seek medical help promptly, even if not a sportsperson.Misconceptions 4: Stay awake for 24 hours after a concussion is false. But the fact is mild TBI patients should not force themselves to stay awake, as rest and sleep are crucial for recovery. Consult with your doctor on your next course of action and follow their recommendations.Misconceptions 5: Head imaging tests like CT scans can detect mild TBI, but they may not always identify brain injuries like concussions, leading to undetected and untreated issues. Blood tests can now evaluate brain injuries.
