What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Brain Injury?

Signs of a TBI include:

  • Confusion
  • Depression
  • Dizziness or balance problems
  • Double or fuzzy vision
  • Feeling foggy or groggy
  • Feeling sluggish or tired
  • Headache
  • Memory loss
  • Nausea
  • Sensitivity to light or noise
  • Sleep disturbance
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Trouble remembering

Indications that a head injury is more serious than a concussion and requires emergency treatment include:

  • Changes in size of pupils
  • Clear or bloody fluid draining from the nose, mouth, or ears
  • Convulsions
  • Distorted facial features
  • Facial bruising
  • Fracture in the skull or face
  • Impaired hearing, smell, taste, or vision
  • Inability to move one or more limbs
  • Irritability
  • Light headache
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Low breathing rate
  • Restlessness, clumsiness, or lack of coordination
  • Severe headache
  • Slurred speech or blurred vision
  • Stiff neck or vomiting
  • Sudden worsening of symptoms after initial improvement
  • Swelling at the site of the injury
  • Persistent vomiting