Emergency Room Assessment

• Once you enter into a hospital, a medical staff will attempt to prevent your brain injury from becoming worse. It is common for brain injuries to develop into complications, such as the pooling of blood within the brain brain, the development of blood clots, or brain tissue swelling. The swelling of brain tissue can become a serious and life-threatening situation. Swelling can result in the brain being compressed and being deprived of oxygen. The responsibility of your medical staff will be to prevent the occurrence of swelling.
  
  

Medications

• Your physician will administer a diuretic to reduce fluid retention within your tissues. According to the Mayo Clinic, diuretics such as mannitol, are received intravenously. Many people who suffer from moderate to severe brain injuries may develop seizures within the first week of having had a brain injury. As a result, it is common to be prescribed an anti-seizure medication to prevent further damage to your brain.
  
  

Therapy

• If you suffered from severe trauma, rehabilitation will be necessary to help you recover. Rehabilitation may require learning how to walk again, how to talk again, how to dress yourself, and how to function as independently as possible. There are several types of therapists that may be part of your regimen for rehabilitation. You may need speech therapists, physical therapists and occupational therapists.
  
  

Surgery

• Surgery is necessary when complications occur. For example, if a clot develops within your brain, it is imperative to remove the clot before a complication occurs, such as a stroke or brain aneurysm. If you develop a fracture within your skull, pieces of your skull may be removed if the skull compresses on your brain. According to the Mayo Clinic, if pressure becomes uncontrollable within your brain, a window or hole, will be created in your skull. This window will allow for the swelling to subside, which only takes a few days.
  
  

Complications

• If your brain damage was severe, and your brain suffered major structural damage, the risk of developing epilepsy is high. Infections can occur if your meninges, which is the protective barrier that surrounds your brain and spinal cord become torn. If the meninges becomes torn, bacteria can enter your brain and spinal cord, which can result in meningitis. You can also develop nerve damage, cognitive loss such as memory loss, personality changes such as disruptive behavior, as well as many other conditions, such as Parkinson's.