Closed vs. Open Head Trauma | Diffuse Axonal Injury | Primary and Secondary Traumatic Brain Injury
Your brain is an extremely delicate organ—that’s one of the reasons it’s encased in the protective cage of your skull. Nonetheless, you can still be at risk of a wide range of injuries any time you suffer any kind of bump or blow to the head.
Open and Closed Head Brain Injuries
The most common way to identify a TBI is to determine whether or not it involves penetration of the skull. Penetrating injuries, where a foreign object pierces the skull and enters the brain, are typically among the most severe TBIs. A closed-head brain injury, though, can be just as serious. Generally the result of the brain making impact with the inside of your skull, a closed-head brain injury may involve significant bruising or tearing of blood vessels or brain tissue.
What Happens When You Suffer a Diffuse Axonal Injury?
Your brain has long connecting fibers called axons. Often, as a consequence of trauma or impact, those fibers can be stretched or even torn apart. It typically happens when there is a violent snapping back and forth of your brain inside your skull, but can also result from a sudden twisting of your brain. Known as DAI, it frequently causes widespread injury to the brain and often puts the victim in a coma. Because the damage caused in a diffuse axonal injury leads to microscopic changes in your brain, the injuries may not be detectable on an MRI or CT scan.
The Difference between a Primary and a Secondary Traumatic Brain Injury
Some of the injuries sustained in a TBI will be immediately apparent and present, and others will take time to develop. Those that may be considered more or less complete at the time of the accident that caused the injury will generally be referred to as primary brain injuries. Those with a later onset, often caused by inflammation or other changes in the brain/body, are considered to be secondary brain injuries.
Contact Us to Set Up an Appointment
At Advantage Healthcare Systems, we have extensive experience working successfully with individuals who suffer any type of concussion, TBI or traumatic brain injury. Call us toll-free at 1-877-487-8289 or fill out the form provided below to schedule an assessment. We offer locations across Texas, including Fort Worth, Dallas and San Antonio.
