What Can Cause Brain Damage?
Brain damage is a terrible occurrence. Brain damage can be anything from mild to severe, and it can cause a person to have to relearn tasks such as walking or eating. Depending on the severity, it could also cause permanent disability. There are two different types of brain damage and several different causes that fall under those two categories. It is important to know these causes to protect yourself.
Types of Brain Injury
In order to fully understand the many causes of brain injury, you must understand the different types of brain injury that can occur. There are two main types of brain damage: traumatic brain injury and acquired brain injury. Though different, both can disrupt a person’s life, and they can negatively affect how someone thinks or how they function in mind or body.
Traumatic Brain Injury Causes
Traumatic brain damage is when a person’s head hits a hard surface suddenly or they are struck by an object violently and with great impact. Penetration by sharp objects that damage the brain tissue is another type of traumatic brain injury.
A common cause of this type of brain injury is a car crash. During a car crash, the car may stop very abruptly, and a person’s head violently strikes the dashboard or other hard surface. Because of the car’s speed, a person’s head will strike a hard surface at a fast rate, causing the tissue of the brain to be damaged.
A slip or fall is another common cause of brain damage. People can slip on slick concrete in winter, or they can lose their balance and fall down the stairs. When someone falls, their head can strike the floor or ground with a lot of force, causing brain damage.
People who play sports and do rigorous exercise are at risk for brain injury. Playing football, soccer, or other contact sports could cause damage.
Other possible causes of traumatic brain injury are gunshots to the head and general physical violence.
Acquired Brain Injury Causes
This type of injury is where the cells of the brain as a whole are negatively affected to cause brain damage. This has several causes as well.
Suffocation is a main cause of brain damage. When a person cannot breathe because they’re being choked or their airway is closed due to an obstruction, proper oxygen cannot get to the brain, and it will suffer damage. Excessive blood loss, artery impingement, and a heart attack all cause problems with blood flow to the brain. This also will cause brain damage. A lightening strike or electrical shock can also cause acquired brain injury.
Many different diseases are another reason for brain damage. These include certain types of venereal diseases, brain cancer, meningitis, and types of encephalopathy.
Brain tumors are another cause of acquired brain injury. Tumors that form in the brain will damage the tissue around them.
Brain damage is a condition that results from many possible causes. Both traumatic brain injury and acquired brain injury can be dangerous and devastating if proper medical treatment is not given as quickly as possible. Further brain damage can be avoided when treatment is given to the patient promptly. In order to prevent brain damage, it’s important to know every cause and take measures to avoid accidents and problems.
