Feeling that something is wrong, is it brain injury?
About suspecting and recognizing brain damage
GPs, parents, teachers or yourself have the feeling that something is wrong with you.
In the case of major head trauma and cerebral haemorrhages, a brain injury can be expected, but it also happens that an accident or severe headache or that day with vague complaints, happened a long time ago, and that it was then decided not to go to the emergency room.
A minor accident with the head / minor injury can also go unnoticed.
It happens that someone does have vague complaints that a doctor cannot always explain.
A non-congenital brain injury, and even a congenital brain injury that occurred before or around birth, can be overlooked. Unfortunately, it also happens that care providers and general practitioners are still too unfamiliar with the invisible consequences of a non-congenital brain injury.
Quote from a Dutch newspaper:
Only 20% of people with non-congenital brain damage have suffered this from a serious accident. In those cases, a brain injury is recognized.
General practitioners often have a 'not right feeling' about a patient and they cannot properly describe what is wrong.
This page lists some of these 'Not right feeling' signals of invisible consequences of NAH. It is always advisable to check the person's history for missed 'head accidents'.
Even if someone only has a few of the signals mentioned, it is still advisable to check whether there could be a non-congenital brain injury.
A brain injury can manifest itself in difficulties with thinking, remembering (cognitive complaints) or performing certain tasks (executive functions), in sensory complaints, language or speech problems, physical complaints and changes in behavior or emotions. These complaints are different for everyone.
Every brain injury is different and some brain injury victims
have a few complaints, others more. See the page on disadvantages of complaint lists. Take the test to recognize brain injury. Read the page on invisible consequences of brain injury or the page on how these invisible complaints can manifest themselves, with tips!
The most extensive checklist may also be used. Unfortunately, our much-read page: 'If you are not believed' is a tragic example of how people often encounter incomprehension and disbelief.
Our list of 'not right' signals