If you suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a car accident, one of the potential complications to be aware of is cerebral edema. Even if you feel all right after the crash, this complication can cause your condition to worsen over time. If it is not treated properly, it could even be fatal.
The issue is that bleeding in or around your brain can put pressure on the brain cells. This can irritate them, which just leads to more pressure as they begin to swell. The brain tissue has very little room within the skull, and what little it has can quickly be taken up by both the swelling and the bleeding. This just makes the issue worse as the brain is compacted against the skull, and it can lead to cellular death.
One reason for the cell death is a lack of blood flow. The blood can actually be cut off by the pressure, and/or the blood that is spreading due to the traumatic injury will no longer go where it is needed. Cells cannot live for very long with blood and oxygen levels that are below their minimum thresholds. If the cells die, they may never regenerate, and the damage may never be repaired.
The symptoms of cerebral edema vary, but they could include headaches, confusion, loss of consciousness, difficulty with speech or movement, trouble remembering things and much more. All of these can grow more serious over time, as the brain bleed continues to worsen.
Have you suffered a complicated traumatic brain injury in a car crash? You may have a right to financial compensation