If you suffer from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and get medical treatment, one of the questions that you’re likely to ask your medical team is how long it will take to heal.
Maybe you’re dealing with mental fog, personality changes, loss of physical skills, cognitive issues or a whole host of other symptoms. You know it takes time for the body to heal from any injury, but you just want to put this behind you. How long should it take?
TBIs are a complex issue with no true timetable for healing
The unfortunate reality is this: Brain injuries are complex, unpredictable and different in almost every case. There is no true timetable that applies to everyone. Some people recover quickly; others never do.
Doctors are learning more all the time, but even what they learn is sometimes difficult to process and doesn’t give clear answers. For instance, some studies looking at concussions say that initial confusion and short-term symptoms may heal after one day or may take as long as 12 weeks. That’s a massive range, and your TBI may be even more serious than a concussion.
Plus, there is evidence that symptoms can come back after starting to heal. One study discovered new symptoms or the intensification of existing symptoms around three months after the patient suffered the initial injury. You could feel like you’re making progress only to have a major setback.
When an accident changes your life, look for help
Because of their complexity, brain injuries are hard to predict, difficult to treat and often life-changing for those who get injured in car accidents, workplace accidents, recreational accidents and many other ways. If you have been injured, you must know how to deal with these changes and what rights you have to compensation.