Brain trauma occurs from a blow or jolt to the head or from a penetrating head injury. Head injuries can result from several factors and the severity of the trauma may range from mild to severe. Mild trauma can cause a brief change in mental status or consciousness. An injury directly to the brain can cause an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia. All head injuries have the potential to result in prolonged or irreversible brain damage.
Falls
The Brain Injury Association of America lists falls as the leading cause of brain trauma. Falls occur more commonly among older adults and younger children, says The Merck Manual for HealthCare Professionals. Older adults with poor eyesight may fall because they can't see their surroundings as well. Younger children just starting to walk experience problems with balance and they tend to fall as a result. A person who falls can hit their head on an object while they are falling or they can hit their head on the floor. Brain trauma can occur if the head hits hard enough to shake the brain around in the skull.
Motor Vehicle Crashes
According to The Merck Manual for HealthCare Professionals, traumatic brain injuries account as the most common cause of death and disability in the United States. Motor vehicle crashes and other transportation-related causes, such as bicycle crashes, can cause severe brain trauma. Vehicle crashes that take place at high speed create so much force, that passengers riding in the vehicle could get propelled through the windshield or they could hit their head on a side window. The force from hitting the window or windshield can break through the skull, causing trauma to the brain. Bicycle crashes can result in brain trauma the same way, considering that the cyclist hits his head on a hard object, such as the ground or a tree.
Physical Assault
Physical assault can cause brain trauma and the amount of damage the victim sustains depends on the object used and how much force was involved, states The Merck Manual for HealthCare Professionals. For example, a victim may suffer an injury to the brain from being shot in the head; from a sharp object such as a knife, penetrating through the skull; or from repeated blows to the head with a blunt object.
