Severe brain damage is an extremely serious condition. It may have resulted from serious traumas such as car accidents, high drops and violent blows. When injured, the patient may be in a coma, often for more than six hours. The damage can cause multiple problems such as fractures of the skull, contusions of the brain and haematoma within the skull.
The patient ‘ s vital signs are unstable, such as respiratory, heart rate and blood pressure abnormalities. There may also be signs of physical palsy, speech impairment, loss of cognitive function, etc. The first aid is provided in a way that keeps the patient ‘ s respiratory tracts open and avoids moving the head at will. In hospitals, doctors assess the extent of the damage by means of head CT tests, etc., followed by surgery or conservative treatment, and follow-up rehabilitation is critical to the recovery of the patient ‘ s brain function. Here we focus on the specifics of brain damage.
Clinical performance
– Change of consciousness: this is one of the most visible signs of brain damage. Light brain damage may only lead to a brief loss of consciousness, such as the possibility that the patient may be “black before the eyes” and soon recover. The severe brain damage, on the other hand, causes the patient to go into a prolonged coma for more than six hours. In addition, patients may suffer from confusion, sleep addiction (more difficult to awaken than normal sleep) or pretence (in the form of confusion, anxiety).
– Headaches and dizziness: headaches usually accompany brain injuries, which may be persistent blunt pains or intermittent pains. Dizziness is also a common symptom, and patients feel that the surrounding environment is spinning or their bodies are shaking, which may increase when they stand or walk.
– Disgusting and vomiting: brain damage can stimulate the nerve centre of the brain, causing nausea and vomiting. Such vomiting is usually intense and may be of a jet nature.
– Visual and hearing impairments: the patient may have blurred vision, re-vision (seeing two images of an object), loss of hearing, sounding (alleged noises such as buzzing) etc.
– Physical abnormalities: brain damage affects brain control of limbs. Patients may suffer from physical weakness, such as a sudden inability to lift an arm or leg or a significant weakening of power; they may also feel numb, as if their hands and feet were lightly punctured by numerous small needles; and they may experience a physical convulsion in serious cases, similar to an epilepsy.
Treatment of brain damage
– Live emergency.
– Ensuring safety: first, it is necessary to move the patient to safety and avoid secondary harm. For example, at the scene of a traffic accident, new collisions between vehicles should be prevented.
– Keep the respiratory tract open: tilt the patient ‘ s head to one side and prevent suffocation caused by vomiting. If there are foreign objects in the mouth, such as dentures, blood clots, etc., be carefully removed.
– Refrain from moving the head and body at will: inappropriate movement may exacerbate brain and spinal cord damage, especially when suspected of vertebrate damage. If it is necessary to move, ensure that the head, neck and body are on a straight line.
– Medical care.
– Rapid assessment and examination: once the patient has been admitted to hospital, the doctor will quickly determine the type and severity of brain damage by means of, inter alia, a skull CT. In case of an emergency such as haematoma in the skull, it is determined whether there is a need for an immediate operation to remove the haematoma and reduce the internal stress.
– Vital signs support: Medical staff closely monitor the patient ‘ s vital signs of breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, etc. If the patient’s breathing is weak or irregular, a bronchial intubation may be performed, using a respirator to assist the breathing; for blood pressure abnormalities, blood pressure stability may be maintained by means of, for example, medication.
– Medicines: Depending on the brain damage, it may be possible to reduce the internal pressure of the skull by using drugs such as glyphol to prevent the formation of the encephalus; some drugs will also be used to control epilepsy, improve brain metabolism and promote the recovery of the nervous function.
– Rehabilitation: rehabilitation is essential when the condition is stable. These include physiotherapy, which helps patients to recover their physical and motor functions; speech therapy, which improves language barriers; and cognitive rehabilitation, which enhances patients ‘ memory, attention, etc.
In any case, the scenes of internal damage in life can be dealt with in such a way as to allow for a simple diagnosis and treatment, and it is essential that the patient be brought to the hospital in a timely manner. Attention must also be paid to the post-rehabilitation treatment of persons with intracranial injuries.
Brain damage syndrome
