A patient may feel blue simply because she has been in an accident. Or she could feel depressed because she recognizes that the accident has somehow impaired her memory and ability to concentrate. Neuropsychologists also caution that it is not uncommon for a patient to believe she has an MTBI despite a history of depression that predates the accident. Although automobile accidents are the most common cause of MTBI, the condition can result from any sudden motion that causes the brain to bounce against the inside of the skull, including an assault, sports injury, fall or physical abuse. Typical symptoms which can last from a couple of days to a couple of months or longer include fatigue, headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, loss of sex drive, short-term memory problems, impaired judgment, irritability, apathy, impatience, anxiety and feelings of helplessness, according to Mitchell Rosenthal, PhD, a professor and associate chair of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Wayne State University in Detroit.
Patients get better over time as the brain heals.
Their appearance is not different from a client who has not had an MTBI because the symptoms are very subjective,' he says. In some cases, the patient may only experience dazed consciousness. Memory loss either immediately before or after the event. Shift in mental state at the time of the event. For example, a patient may become unusually belligerent after the event.