• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Drowsiness
  

• Whiplash, neck pain
• Memory loss, amnesia
• Vision problems
• Ringing in ears, hearing problems

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Feel tired
• Move slowly
• Trouble falling asleep
• Nightmares
• Feel frustrated
• Impatience
• Irritability or short temper
• Feel sad or blue

HEADACHES:
People who have suffered a concussion or a traumatic closed head injury often experience more headaches after the injury or accident. Pain can be felt in the temples or forehead. Sometimes the pain will start at the back of the head and extend to the front of the head. Individuals may have episodes of very sharp pain (like being stabbed) in the head which last between several seconds and several minutes. Dizziness may also be ongoing.

MEMORY:
Short term memory problems can be caused by a traumatic brain injury. Individuals who have suffered a head injury often complain that they seem to forget what people have told them just minutes earlier. They also have difficulty remembering what they have just read and have to ask the same questions over and over. People who have traumatic brain injuries have to write everything down, so they won’t forget it.

WORD-FINDING:
Traumatic brain injuries can cause people to have difficulty coming up with the right word to say. The injured person knows what they want to say, but but just can't seem to “spit it out.”

FATIGUE:
A traumatic brain injury often causes individuals to become more tired, both mentally and physically. Emotional and/or stressful situations can increase the fatigue even more. Work and travel can be exhausting for the brain injured individual. Fatigue can also increase because of changes in sleep patterns caused by a closed head injury. It is not uncommon for a brain injury patient to wake up throughout the night and early morning or have difficulty getting back to sleep.

DIFFICULTY WITH CONCENTRATION:
Traumatic brain injury causes significant problems with one’s ability to concentrate. Those who have suffered a closed head injury are easily distracted and find it hard to stay focused. They often lose their place if interrupted during a task. Noisy or crowded places are overwhelming. Driving is very difficult in that brain injured individuals become overwhelmed by traffic and can forget directions.

ORGANIZATION:
Organizational skills are difficult for an individual with a brain injury. A traumatic brain injury makes it difficult for an individual to get organized or complete a task. The person may leave out a step in a recipe or started multiple projects without ever completing them. One’s ability to multi-task becomes impaired.

EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGES:
Those suffering from a brain injury become more easily irritated or angry. They cry or become depressed more easily and more often. Depression, sadness, frustration, loneliness, and mood swings can result from a brain injury. These emotional changes seem to come on quickly and effect relationships.

BALANCE DISTURBANCE:
Balance difficulties can arise from a traumatic brain injury. Signs and symptoms can include losing balance in the shower or going down steps. Individuals may have to sit in the shower or may require assistance when walking.

IMPULSIVITY:
Poor decision making is often a trait of brain injury survivors. Following a traumatic brain injury, you may find yourself making poor or impulsive decisions without thinking. This might be manifested in relationships, at work, or shopping binges, etc.

ADDITIONAL SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF TBI

• Periods of disorientation
• Problems remembering conversation or becoming lost during conversations
• Difficulties problem solving
• Slowing thought processing
• Difficulty finding right word and slowed ability to communicate
• Learning takes longer and it is difficult to remember recently learned material
• Poor initiation and motivation
• Impaired concentration and ability to pay attention
• Depression, sadness, and loneliness
• Changes in sense of self and in relationships
• Loss of life roles/Altered life roles
• Increased frustration and irritability
• Avoidance of crowds
• Fear, anxiety and worry about future and/or cognitive functioning
• Shoulder pain or swelling; limited range of motion in shoulder
• Limited ability to reach, lift or carry things
• Numbness in fingers
• Tendency to drop things
• Decreased grip strength; poor grip on the left
• Use non-dominant hand to clean
• Limited use of arm; Need to hold arm when walking
• Difficulty cutting food or folding sheets
• Difficulty standing, bending, twisting, kneeling, stooping, or climbing
• Foot pain and swelling with ambulation/walking
• Changes in expressive and receptive language skills
• Difficulty with bicycling, skiing, diving, weight lifting, hiking, backpacking, and kayaking
• Difficulty with gardening, yard work, laundry, cooking, household chores, and home repairs
• Bowel difficulties/involuntary evacuation
• Low tone and volume to voice
• Shaking of head or hands
• Difficulty with self-care tasks such as hair care, grooming, and dressing
• Difficulty driving and traveling