When an injury accident happens, like a car crash, the risk of a brain injury may be present. If you have ever suffered even a mild concussion, you know that even mild brain injuries can become serious. A coma is defined by WebMD.com as a state of prolonged lack of consciousness. If you are in a coma, you will be unable to wake up or respond to any stimuli. Even if you were poked with a needle, you would not respond.
While there are many causes of comas, it is estimated that over half of all comas are the result of some form of trauma to the brain. A coma may be temporary, such as an anoxic brain injury coma. In these cases, some of the brain tissue cells die due to the lack of oxygen. A coma can also be permanent such as in brain death. There are also medically-induced comas in which you can be forced into a comatose state in order to control swelling of your brain after an injury.
Swelling in the brain is a predominant part of a coma because it puts pressure on the part of the brain that controls awareness. This swelling can result from bleeding in the brain, insufficient oxygen to the brain, or severe trauma to the brain. Getting prompt help for people with brain injuries is important whether or not they are fully comatose.
If you would like to learn more about traumatic brain injuries and comas, please visit our Connecticut coma page on our personal injury website.
