Stroke More Likely in Head, Neck Trauma Patients

Monday, February 17, 2014

Stroke More Likely in Head, Neck Trauma Patients

Written by Malman Law, reviewed by Steve J. Malman.

A new study suggests traumatic injuries, including head or neck injuries, could lead to an increased risk of stroke. The study followed 1,509,820 people who experienced non-fatal traumatic injuries and who were admitted to the emergency room or inpatient care between 1997 and 2011. In this study, every 13 out of 100,000 people had stroke symptoms. Those in the study were between the ages of 20 and 50. While the average age for a stroke is 38 years old, the average age for people who experienced head or neck trauma to have a stroke was 24 years old.

The patients with traumatic head injuries were also 2.8 times more likely to have an ischemic stroke—a condition that occurs when blood vessels for the brain are blocked and cannot receive oxygen—within four weeks of injury.

How Common are Traumatic Injuries?

Every month, hospitals admit 2 million people to the hospital for traumatic injuries. These injuries could be small fractures, or more severe, like head or brain injuries.

With trauma being the No. 1 leading cause of death in children and adults younger than 45, as well as the No. 4 cause of death in all age groups, you may be worried that you or someone you love could be at risk. Trauma can be preventable, but if you or someone you love are in an accident at the hands of another person, you could still be susceptible to injury. If you think someone else is responsible for your traumatic injuries, especially if these injuries led to a stroke, you may need legal representation from a traumatic brain injury lawyer or a personal injury attorney to receive justice and compensation for your medical bills.

What To Do If You’ve Had a Traumatic Injury

Following any kind of severe injury, you need to seek medical attention—doctors say that early diagnosis can prevent stroke complications following a traumatic injury. You may also need to ask your doctor for stroke prevention tips.

Following medical treatment, you may want to contact a traumatic brain injury lawyer or any kind of personal injury attorney in Illinois. These lawyers will work with you to find who is responsible for your traumatic injury and hold them accountable.

To begin a case for your traumatic injury, no matter how big or small, the lawyers at Malman Law can help. Contact us with any questions you may have, or read our downloads on personal injuries.