What is Cerebral Edema? How to Cope With a Neurological Injury

As a consequence of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), there are changes in our brain that must be studied to minimize damages. After an injury such as a gunshot, a bad fall, or a car accident, there may be an excess of blood built up in the brain which causes swelling. An abnormal level of plasma in the brain causes the neurons to go through a process of osmosis, making them grow in size. This accumulation of liquids in the brain is known as a cerebral edema. It creates brain pressure or intracraneal pressure which causes problems with brain function.

Cerebral edema usually happens after cranial trauma with bleeding, especially at the impact area. Trauma causes primary and secondary damages in the brain. Primary damages take place at the moment of impact and can only be taken care of to avoid future problems. Secondary accidents are the consequence of the pressure produced by the bone fragments in the brain tissue, as well as the possible cerebral edemas and hematomas.

You can fight against secondary damages with surgery, treating the hematomas and contusions, and also with medications that regulate pressure within the skull. This is why edemas have to be regularly monitored to be able to fight the side effects with medication. The diagnosis of a cerebral edema will vary depending on intensity, the amount of pressure produces, and the probability of it being treated with surgery. Those who suffer from brain swelling and are able to overcome it go through a physical and mental rehabilitation process to repair the damages caused by the initial trauma.

Once these difficulties or medical problems are being treated, patients often undergo a process to recover the cognitive functions that were damaged. Many professionals recommend the cognitive training program from CogniFit because it allows for an assessment of the damages neurons of each subject and provides them with a personalized program to promote brain plasticity and restore damaged functions.