We all know how essential it is for us to breathe to survive. The same goes for our brain. Brain cells need a constant supply of oxygen . Just think, if the oxygen supply to the brain is cut off for 4 minutes or more, brain cells start to die. This can cause very serious, sometimes irreversible brain damage. Today we are talking about this dangerous, but we all need to be aware of this condition.
What is hypoxic and anoxic brain damage?
These two names may sound a little complicated, but they're actually quite simple. Let's see.
The brain uses one-fifth of the oxygen in our body. The brain cannot function properly without oxygen, sending messages through the nerves and keeping everything in the body functioning properly.
- Hypoxic Brain Injury: This is when the amount of oxygen reaching the brain is reduced. It doesn't stop completely, but it is much less than the amount needed.
- Anoxic Brain Injury: This is more serious. Here, the brain is completely deprived of oxygen.
Sometimes doctors use these terms together. However, both are conditions that can cause serious damage to the brain. If a person goes without oxygen for too long, they can go into a coma or even brain death.
What causes the brain to lack oxygen?
Oxygen supply to the brain can be cut off or reduced for a variety of reasons , some of which we may not even realize.
| Cause | Simple Explanation |
|---|---|
| Heart attack or cardiac arrest | When the heart stops, the brain does not receive oxygen because it does not pump blood. |
| Choking/Suffocation | Inability to breathe due to things like choking or strangulation. |
| Near drowning | When the lungs fill with water, they cannot get oxygen. |
| Serious asthma attack | Difficulty breathing becomes very severe. |
| Inhalation of toxic gases | Inhaling toxic fumes such as carbon monoxide. |
| Poisoning/Drug overdose | Some toxins and drugs impair breathing. |
| Low blood pressure from blood loss | When a large amount of blood is lost in a major accident, blood pressure drops and blood flow to the brain decreases. |
| Electric shock, severe seizure | In such cases, breathing can also be affected. |
What are the symptoms of this condition?
Loss of consciousness can usually occur within 15 seconds of a lack of oxygen to the brain. In addition, these symptoms can also appear suddenly.
The most important thing: If you see someone with these symptoms, it's an emergency. You should take them to a hospital's Emergency Department (ETU) without delay .
- Slurring of speech or inability to put words together
- Confusion, memory loss
- Facial drooping
- Lips and skin turning blue/gray
- Breathing that is very shallow or rapid
- Dilated pupils
- Not responding to name
- Seizures
How do doctors find this?
Usually, when a patient is brought to the ETU and asked what happened (for example, drowning, choking on food), the doctors have a good idea. But to determine the exact severity of the injury, they run a few tests.
- CT scan or MRI scan: These can look for damage to brain tissue, such as swelling.
- EEG (Electroencephalogram): This measures the electrical activity of the brain. This helps to determine how active the brain is.
- Angiography: This test is done to see if there are any blockages in the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain.
- Evoked potentials test: This tests whether the brain responds to sensations such as sight, hearing, and touch.
How is it treated?
This is a medical emergency. Once you are brought to the hospital, doctors will try to provide the brain with adequate oxygen as quickly as possible. They will also give you medication to control your blood pressure and heart rate.
Treatment varies depending on the severity of the patient's condition. Often, the patient is admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and connected to a ventilator to help them breathe.
In some severe cases, a special treatment called Therapeutic Hypothermia is used.
What is this body-cooling treatment?
This is a somewhat special treatment. What is done here is to use special blankets to control and lower the body temperature to 32-34 degrees Celsius for about 24 hours. Then the body is gradually brought back to normal temperature. Research has found that this can reduce swelling and damage to the brain. It also helps protect the brain by reducing the amount of oxygen and energy needed by brain cells.
Possible long-term effects after recovery
Even after a person regains consciousness after a severe brain injury, there may be long-lasting effects. These can be physical, mental, or behavioral.
- Physical effects: Headaches, loss of balance when walking, vision problems, seizures , difficulty speaking and swallowing, loss of body sensation, changes in sleep patterns.
- Mental and behavioral effects: Memory loss, depression , difficulty concentrating, confusion, inability to think logically, personality changes (feeling like you're not the same person you used to be), irritability.
How is recovery possible?
How well someone recovers depends on several factors:
- How long was the brain without oxygen?
- How serious is the brain damage?
- How old were you when the accident happened? (Those under 50 are more likely to recover)
- How long were you in a coma?
Minor injuries can often heal completely without long-term effects. However, severe injuries can take months or even years to heal. Sometimes, a full recovery may not occur.
For someone like this, it is very important for the healing process to begin rehabilitation treatment with specialists such as physical therapists, speech therapists, and occupational therapists as soon as possible.
How can this kind of accident be prevented?
If someone loses consciousness and their heart stops beating, CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) , which is heart massage and mouth-to-mouth breathing, can help maintain some blood and oxygen supply to the brain until medical help arrives. This can greatly reduce the risk of serious brain damage. Learning how to perform CPR can help save a life.
In addition, follow these safety steps:
- Avoid water-related accidents. Be vigilant even when children are in bathtubs.
- Install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in your home.
- If someone has ingested a poison, take them to a hospital immediately. If necessary, you can call the National Poison Information Centre at the Colombo National Hospital for advice.
Take-Home Message
- Oxygen is life to your brain. Even a few minutes without it is very dangerous.
- If someone suddenly becomes slurred speech, loses consciousness, or turns blue, it is a medical emergency.
- If you see these symptoms, do nothing else and take the patient to a hospital's Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) as soon as possible.
- Although recovery is possible, it depends on the severity of the damage, and rehabilitation treatment is very important.
- By learning how to perform CPR, you too can help save someone's life and prevent severe brain damage in a situation like this.
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