Learning that you or a loved one has suffered from a brain injury is difficult. In the days and weeks that follow that diagnosis, there are often questions that come up about the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. If you or your loved one suffered from a brain injury diagnosed as a diffuse axonal brain injury, this information might help you.
What is a diffuse axonal brain injury?
A diffuse axonal brain injury is a closed head injury, which means that the skull of the brain isn’t fractured or punctured. “Diffuse” means that the damage done to the brain isn’t localized. Instead, a diffuse axonal brain injury affects a larger, widespread area. Automobile accidents can cause a diffuse axonal brain injury because of the jarring motion that affects the head during the accident.
What are the effects of a diffuse axonal brain injury?
When a person suffers a diffuse axonal brain injury, the nerve pathways in the brain can be broken. This can affect almost every aspect of the body’s function, including basic life supporting functions. Diffuse axonal brain injuries usually cause a person to become unconscious. One key clue that a person has a diffuse axonal brain injury is a period of unconsciousness that lasts longer than six hours.
The treatment for a diffuse axonal brain injury depends on the areas of the brain that are affected, as well as the severity of the injury. As you can imagine, this type of brain injury can lead to lengthy treatment plans, hospitalizations, therapy and other care. All of those treatment components cost money, which may be recouped if a person seeks for the brain injury.
Source: BrainInjuryInstitute.org, “Diffuse Axonal Brain Injury,” accessed April. 08, 2015
