When a person is involved in an accident causing a brain injury, there are often some touch-and-go moments as doctors assess the extent of the damage. Early on, everyone just hopes that the victim makes it through without severe injury.
ABout half of those who survive brain injuries live the rest of their lives with disabilities. Those who escape without serious health concerns often think their troubles are over. However, a new study shows that there may be more suffering ahead.
The injury that keeps on giving
Research shows that about 1.7 million people suffer from brain injuries, many of those injuries are the result of a motor vehicle accident. Those who spend more than three days in the hospital following an accident often do so because doctors determine that their injuries are moderate to severe.
Even after a full recovery from a brain injury, new research shows that, depending on age and the severity of the injury, survivors may have a higher risk of developing dementia later in life. People in their 40s when the brain injury occurred are three times more likely to suffer from dementia.
Doctors recommend that these patients do everything possible to reduce their risks, for example:
- Keeping blood pressure low
- Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels
- Monitoring glucose levels to avoid diabetes
- Giving up cigarettes
- Moderating alcohol consumption
The study concludes that brain injuries never go away. This is particularly true for older brain injury patients whose brains have had less time to recover its resilience to damage.
There is no doubt that this is unfair to injury victims, especially if the motor vehicle accident was the result of someone else’s negligence or carelessness. However, if you are in this situation, you do not have to suffer alone if you find an advocate who will support you as you seek legal means to find justice for your suffering.