Aivovaurio

Aivovaurio, commonly translated as brain injury or brain damage, is damage to brain tissue resulting from a variety of causes. In Finnish medical usage, the term covers both traumatic injuries and non-traumatic conditions that impair brain function.

Classification distinguishes traumatic brain injury (TBI) from acquired brain injury (ABI). TBI arises from external forces such as blows, falls, or vehicle accidents, while ABI includes non-traumatic events like stroke, hypoxia, infection, tumors, and toxin exposure. Injuries may be focal or diffuse and primary or secondary.

Symptoms depend on location and severity but commonly involve cognitive changes (memory, attention, problem solving), motor and balance problems, sensory disturbances, language difficulties, and mood or behavior changes. In severe cases, coma can occur.

Diagnosis combines clinical assessment with imaging, typically CT or MRI, and sometimes neuropsychological testing. Acute care emphasizes stabilization and prevention of secondary injury, followed by rehabilitation—physical, occupational, and speech therapy—to improve function. Treatments address complications (seizures, spasticity) and underlying causes; medications target symptoms and mood disorders when present.

Prognosis varies with injury type, severity, age, and access to rehabilitation. Prevention focuses on safety measures to reduce risk, such as helmet use, fall prevention, and control of vascular risk factors to reduce stroke risk. Aivovaurio represents a spectrum from mild transient symptoms to long-term disability.