A brain injury can change the way you think, feel, move, communicate, and experience the world around you. But not every brain injury is the same. Learning a little about what happened to your brain and the symptoms that can follow may help make this new journey feel a little less confusing.
There Are Different Types of Brain Injuries
Traumatic Brain Injury — TBI
A TBI happens when an outside force injures the brain. This can happen from a fall, car accident, sports injury, assault, blast, or something striking the head.
A TBI can range from mild to severe.
Concussion
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury.
You do not have to lose consciousness to have a concussion. Symptoms can include headaches, dizziness, memory problems, fatigue, light or noise sensitivity, and difficulty concentrating. Even though it may be called a “mild TBI,” the symptoms do not always feel mild.
Stroke
A stroke is an acquired brain injury that happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.
The effects depend on what part of the brain was affected and can include changes in movement, speech, memory, thinking, vision, and emotions.
Lack of Oxygen to the Brain
The brain needs a constant supply of oxygen.
Cardiac arrest, choking, drowning, severe breathing problems, or other events that interrupt oxygen can cause an anoxic or hypoxic brain injury.
Infections
Infections such as meningitis or encephalitis can affect the brain and sometimes cause lasting changes.
A person may experience problems with memory, thinking, fatigue, movement, behavior, or other abilities afterward.
Brain Tumors
A brain tumor—and sometimes the surgery, radiation, or other treatment used to treat it—can affect how the brain functions.
The effects can be very different depending on the tumor's location and treatment.
Toxic or Metabolic Brain Injury
The brain can also be injured when its normal chemistry is severely disrupted.
Certain poisonings, overdoses, carbon monoxide exposure, severe metabolic problems, or nutritional deficiencies can damage brain cells and affect brain function.
Symptoms Can Look Very Different
Two people can have brain injuries and experience completely different symptoms. Some symptoms may appear immediately. Others may become more noticeable later. And many of them are invisible to everyone else.
Thinking & Memory
You may experience:
Memory problems • Brain fog • Slower thinking • Difficulty concentrating • Trouble multitasking • Difficulty making decisions • Losing your train of thought • Trouble following instructions
Speech & Communication
You may have difficulty:
Finding the right word • Understanding conversations • Following fast conversations • Organizing your thoughts • Reading • Writing • Communicating what you're trying to say
You may know exactly what you want to say but struggle to get the words out.
Fatigue
Brain injury fatigue can be different from ordinary tiredness. Something as simple as having a conversation, reading, shopping, working, or being around several people may leave you exhausted. Your brain may be working much harder to do things that once happened automatically.
Sensory Changes
Your brain may process the world differently.
You may become more sensitive to:
Bright lights • Fluorescent lights • Loud sounds • Background conversations • Crowds • Busy stores • Certain smells • Multiple things happening at once
What seems normal to everyone else can sometimes feel overwhelming.
Physical Symptoms
Brain injuries can also cause physical changes, including:
Headaches • Dizziness • Balance problems • Nausea • Weakness • Coordination problems • Vision changes • Sleep problems • Sensitivity to light or sound
Emotional & Behavioral Changes
You may notice changes in how strongly you experience or control emotions.
This can include:
Irritability • Anxiety • Sadness • Anger • Crying more easily • Feeling overwhelmed • Mood changes • Impulsivity • Difficulty controlling reactions
These changes can sometimes be confusing for both the survivor and the people around them.
Sleep Changes
You might sleep too much, struggle to sleep, wake frequently, or find that sleep doesn't leave you feeling rested.
Changes in sleep can also make other symptoms—such as fatigue, headaches, concentration problems, and irritability—harder to manage.
Social Changes
Being around people may require much more effort than it once did. Following several conversations, understanding jokes or sarcasm, remembering what was just said, filtering distractions, or keeping up in a busy room can become difficult. Sometimes you may need to leave early or spend more time alone simply because your brain has had enough.
Tips for Learning About Your Injury
Write Down Your Questions
Keep questions for your healthcare team in a notebook or on your phone.
You don't have to rely on your memory to remember everything you wanted to ask.
Bring Someone With You
If appointments are difficult to remember or process, consider bringing someone you trust.
They can listen, take notes, and help you remember what was discussed.
Learn a Little at a Time
You don't need to understand brain injury overnight.
Read a little. Take a break. Come back when you're ready.
Learning about your brain shouldn't overwhelm your brain.
Don't Compare Your Recovery
Another survivor may have the same diagnosis and a completely different experience.
Recovery doesn't follow one timeline.
Your brain. Your symptoms. Your journey.
Caregivers Should Learn Too
Understanding brain injury can help family members and caregivers recognize that behaviors they are seeing may be connected to the injury.
Knowledge can replace some of the confusion with understanding.
Use Trusted Resources
Our Resources page includes organizations, websites, books, podcasts, support services, financial-assistance resources, and other tools for survivors and caregivers. You don't have to explore everything at once. Use what you need today. Come back when you're ready for more.