What Is Traumatic Brain Injury?
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is damage to the brain caused by an outside force. It may be caused by a forceful bump, blow, or jolt to head or body, or by an object entering the brain. In less severe cases, TBI can lead to temporary or short-term problems with brain function, which can affect the way an individual thinks, communicates, understands, moves, and acts. More severe traumatic brain injury can lead to serious and permanent disability, or even death. Traumatic brain injuries are classified in the following two broad categories:
- Blunt TBI: Also known as closed head injury or non-penetrating TBI, this type of injury is caused by an external force strong enough to move the brain within the skull. Common causes of blunt TBI include falls, motor vehicle crashes, sports injuries, blast injuries, and being struck by objects.
- Penetrating TBI: Also known as open TBI, this type of injury occurs when an object, such as a bullet, shrapnel, or a bone fragment) pierces the skull and enters the brain tissue.