Brain damage can cause a disruption in the functions of your brain. Symptoms that may be caused by injury to the brain include slowed thinking processes, difficulty switching between tasks, diminished libido, disturbed sleep, emotional outbursts, irritability, depression, faulty judgment, impaired memory, difficulty concentrating, inattention and excessive sleepiness. It is sometimes difficult to sort out actual brain damage from other ailments or issues including job loss, financial loss, depression, medications, pain elsewhere and migraine headaches.
The severity and extent of neurological dysfunction caused by brain damage can be measured with the help of testing. Neuropsychologists use these tests to enable them to isolate the problem to a specific area of the brain. The frontal lobes control inhibition of inappropriate behavior, foresight, attention, interpersonal behavior, judgment, personality, mood and drive. An injury to the frontal lobe is sometimes associated with olfactory damage, and this may cause patients to have an altered or reduced sense of smell.
The effects of brain damage on the patient may be surpassed by the effect it has on their family. Brain injuries are tremendous stressors in interpersonal relationships.
As a rule, brain injury symptoms should lessen as time passes, as the brain heals. But sometimes the symptoms get worse, since the patient can’t adapt to the injury to the brain. It often happens that psychological problems arise or get worse after brain damage.
There is a wide variety of symptoms that can occur after brain injuries. The symptoms will vary depending on what part of the brain was injured. Here are some possible symptoms, and the area of brain damage that can cause them:
If there is brain damage to the frontal lobe or forehead:
Inability to express languageDifficulty in solving problemsChanges in personalityChanges in social behaviorMood changesInability to focus on tasksPersistence of one single thoughtLoss of flexibility in thinkingLoss of spontaneity in interacting with othersInability to plan a sequence of complex movementsLoss of simple movement of body parts
If there is injury to the parietal lobe, near the top and back of the head:
Difficulty with hand to eye coordinationLack of self-awareness of certain body partsDifficulty doing mathematicsDifficulty in distinguishing right from leftDifficulty drawing objectsProblems with readingInability to name an objectInability to attend to more than one object at a time
If there is damage in the occipital lobes, at the back of the head:
Difficulties in reading and writingInability to recognize an object’s movementDifficulty in recognizing drawn objectsInability to recognize wordsInaccurately seeing objectsHallucinationsDifficulties identifying colorsDefects in vision
If you notice these symptoms in someone that you care for, contact their health care professional immediately, take them to the Emergency Room, or call 911.
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