Brain injury how long to recover

Improving life after brain injury Need to talk? Rehabilitation after brain injury is largely unpredictable as every injury is unique. This section gives an overview of the processes and timescales for recovery and rehabilitation, explains how families can assist in the process, and details where people can receive help and support. Unlike most other cells in the body, brain cells do not regenerate when they are destroyed. However, this does not mean that no recovery can occur.

The brain is somewhat flexible and is able to reorganize itself, to an extent, in order to regain lost function. This is known as brain 'plasticity'. During recovery, other areas of the brain take over the activities of the damaged areas and new nerve pathways can be established using undamaged brain cells. Engaging in activity helps these alternative pathways to develop. Rehabilitation aims to help the brain learn alternative ways of working in order to minimise the long-term impact of the brain injury.

Rehabilitation also helps the survivor and the family to cope successfully with any remaining disabilities. In the first month or two after a severe brain injury it is only possible to guess at the length of time that recovery will take and the likely outcome.

All that is certain is that recovery is a slow process and will take months or years rather than weeks. Six months after the injury the picture will be clearer, but it is wise to wait until about a year after the accident before making any important decisions regarding the future. After a year or so one can be reasonably certain about the eventual degree of physical recovery. However, psychological recovery can take considerably longer and it is usually these more subtle psychological problems that cause longer-term difficulties, particularly for family members.

People do sometimes talk about there being a limited 'window' for recovery after brain injury, for example, that recovery ceases to take place beyond two years. However, this is now known not to be the case and people may actually continue to improve for a number of years after brain injury.

Indeed, many people say that they never stop re-gaining the skills that they lost following the injury. Nevertheless, the greatest visible progress does occur in the first six months or so post-injury and after this improvement is often less obvious. You can search for Headway approved rehabilitation and care units in the Supporting you section or contact the Headway helpline for more information.

Choosing which rehabilitation unit to refer someone with a brain injury to should involve the clinical team, the patient and their family.

Once a referral has been made, the rehabilitation unit will usually carry out an assessment to make sure their service is suitable. This requires the person to spend more cognitive energy to complete tasks that were simple before the injury. Towards the end of the day, a person can feel exhausted physically and cognitively and may become more irritable and more easily frustrated. Other symptoms, like headache, may also appear or worsen. As a person starts to feel better, they may try to get as much done as possible when having a good day.

It is important to follow a gradual increase in activity levels when recovering from an injury. In the first few weeks after a moderate to severe brain injury, swelling, bleeding or changes in brain chemistry often affect the function of healthy brain tissue. The injured person's eyes may remain closed, and the person may not show signs of awareness.

As swelling decreases and blood flow and brain chemistry improve, brain function usually improves. With time, the person's eyes may open, sleep-wake cycles may begin, and the injured person may follow commands, respond to family members, and speak.

Some terms that might be used in these early stages of recovery are:. A period of confusion and disorientation often follows a moderate-severe TBI.

This may be referred to as post-traumatic amnesia; but a more correct name is confusional state. A person's ability will have difficulty paying attention and remembering things during this time.

Often, they are agitated, nervous, restless, and easily frustrated. Sleeping patterns may be disrupted. The person may overreact to stimulation, such as noise. They may get upset easily. This stage can be disturbing for family because the person behaves so uncharacteristically. Inconsistent behavior is also common. Some days are better than others.

This stage of recovery may last days or even weeks for some people. In this stage of recovery, ups and downs are normal and are not cause for concern. Ups and downs are normal. Later stages of recovery can bring increased mental and physical function.

Often, the fastest improvement happens in the first six months after injury. After this, progress tends to slow. This is because the damage remains, but the severe symptoms like bleeding and swelling have receeded.

The data shows that, two years after an injury, most patients continue to show some increases in ability. This is good news, but the progress requires ongoing care and practice, which can be costly.

As you or a loved one struggle to recover from a TBI, this can be a stressful time. If someone else was to blame for your accident, you have the right to be compensated for this tragedy. TBIs are among the worst type of injury that a person can suffer. In the wake of one of these injuries, there are suddenly many new things to worry about that were never a concern in the past.

It is in these early, crucial moments that you should speak with an experienced brain injury attorney. The role of a traumatic brain injury lawyer is to provide you with strong legal advocacy to make sure that you are financially and emotionally compensated for the devastation that these injuries have had on your life.