Brain Injury Symptoms and Health Effects
Brain Injury Symptoms
Brain injury symptoms can affect many parts of a person’s health and daily life. Symptoms may stay the same over time, get better, or get worse.
Brain injury symptoms are different for each person
Brain injury symptoms can affect many parts of a person’s health and daily life. A person’s recovery journey after a brain injury may be short (days to weeks) or long (months, years, or lifelong). Symptoms may stay the same over time, get better, or get worse. Sometimes, symptoms seem to go away but come back later—especially during times of illness, stress, or fatigue.
The following table provides some examples of common types of symptoms a person may experience during their brain injury journey. It is important to note that each person’s symptoms and experience will be unique, and symptoms may look different in children than they do in adults and older adults.
Click on the icons below to see examples of each system category.
Danger signs require immediate emergency care
Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department if you think your loved one is having a stroke, brain aneurysm, or if you notice any of the following danger signs after a person experiences a bump, blow, or jolt to the head:
| Danger Signs for Everyone | |
| Convulsions or seizures (shaking or twitching) | Loss of consciousness with increasing drowsiness, inability to wake up, or inability to stay awake |
| Not able to recognize people or places | Slurred speech, weakness, numbness, or decreased coordination |
| Repeated nausea or vomiting | A headache that gets worse and does not go away |
| Unusual behavior, increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation | One pupil is larger than the other, or double vision |
| Danger Signs in Infants and Toddlers |
| Any of the signs listed in the table above |
| Will not stop crying and cannot be consoled |
| Will not nurse or eat |
| Not easily waking from sleep |
The symptoms a person experiences may be linked to the location of their injury
Many people with brain injury will have injuries in several areas of the brain. Knowing the location of the injury and what function that specific area of the brain is responsible for may help you look for changes or symptoms they may experience. For example, an injury to the back of the brain may affect a person’s vision and how they understand what they are seeing. An injury to the front part of the brain may affect a person’s ability to plan, pay attention, and/or their ability to think creatively. Still, it is important to remember that parts of a person’s brain are constantly communicating with each other through a network that resembles a bundle of wires. Damage to the brain’s communication pathways, as well as chemical changes, also affect the types of symptoms a person may experience.
Brain injury symptoms may be missed or misdiagnosed
Brain injuries may be missed or misdiagnosed as symptoms can mirror those of other medical conditions, such as dementia, infection, vertigo (dizziness), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and a learning disability. That is why better awareness and screening for brain injury, especially among at-risk groups, is so important.
Mental health symptoms are very common after a brain injury.
Mental health symptoms after a brain injury are real, treatable, and deserve attention just like other common brain injury symptoms. Mental health symptoms can affect relationships, work, and overall quality of life. Mental health care should be a routine part of brain injury care. Counseling, peer support, rehabilitation services, and community programs can make a meaningful difference. Recognizing the signs and connecting people to care early can improve outcomes. Read more about mental health and brain injury.
Compassionate answers. Real support. Every step of the way.
Contact the National Brain Injury Information Center at 1-800-444-6443 to speak to a specialist about:
- Help with care needs
- Legal and financial resources
- Services in your community
Learn more about brain injury and check out our educational tools and resources
Thinking and learning symptoms after brain injury include:
- Difficulty understanding, thinking clearly, and/or problem-solving
- Trouble learning new skills
- Problems concentrating and/or paying attention
- Difficulty remembering or processing information
- Inability to start tasks (changes in motivation)
- Easily distracted or unable to shift focus
Physical health and communication symptoms after brain injury include:
- Headaches
- Weaknesses in arms and legs
- Problems with coordination, balance, hearing, and/or vision (including sensitivity to light or noise)
- Bladder and bowel trouble
- Changes in sensory perception, such as smell and touch
- Difficulty speaking and communicating
- Trouble with sleep (sleeping more or less than usual)
Emotion and mood symptoms after brain injury include:
- Feeling more emotional than usual
- Nervousness and/or anxiety
- Sadness and/or depression
- Sudden crying or laughing for no clear reason
Behavior symptoms after brain injury include:
- Trouble controlling actions
- Personality changes
- More impulsive than usual
- More angry or aggressive than usual
- Poor judgement and/or increased risk-taking