Left Brain vs Right Brain Injuries and Recovery

What’s the Difference Between Left Brain and Right Brain Injuries?

The left and right side of the brain control different body functions. Damaging either side will result in problems directly relating to the parts that are being controlled by the left or right side. Below, we will discuss more in detail about the brain and what outcomes may occur when it is damaged. 

If you are a victim of a brain injury and would like to pursue legal actions against the party at-fault for damages, our qualified brain injury attorneys at West Coast Trial Lawyers are available 24/7 to offer legal assistance. We will help strengthen your claim and negotiate with insurance companies to get you the compensation you deserve.

To schedule a free consultation, please contact us by calling (213) 927-3700 or filling out our quick contact form.

Left Brain vs Right Brain 

Right brain injury is often known as right hemisphere brain damage (RHD). The right brain is in charge of imagination, intuition, art, rhythm, daydreaming, holistic thinking, nonverbal cues, and visualization. The right brain also controls muscles on the left side. An individual who suffers from RHD may suffer from:

• Language deficit. 
• Understanding others’ emotions.
• Scrambled thoughts.
• Poor execution of responses.
• Lack of eye contact.
• Aprosodia.
• Lack of emotion and expression.

The left brain primarily expresses language, words, and sentence structure. Furthermore, it controls muscles on the right side of the body. When an individual suffers from a left brain injury, they will have difficulty with:

• Learning written and spoken words.
• Expressing written and spoken words.
• Controlling motor movements.
• Using or seeing numbers.
• Speaking properly. 

Damage to both sides will result in the individual displaying random acts that they are unaware of. 

Right Brain Activity

• Imagination,
• Creativity, 
• Organization,
• Visual information,
• Awareness of music and art, 
• Intuition, 
• Insight, 
• Holistic thoughts, and 
• Left-hand control. 

Symptoms 

• Socialization. The individual may have a difficult time understanding what others are talking about. They may also not comprehend jokes, understand body language, and interrupt others when speaking without realizing it. 
• Attention. The individual may be unable to keep all of their focus on one task.
• Reasoning or problem solving. The individual may struggle to identify and resolve problems going on in their lives.
• Memory. The individual may experience memory loss. New information could also be difficult to comprehend. 
• Organization. The individual may have a difficult time trying to gather information, along with making plans.
• Orientation. The individual may be unable to remember important information, such as birthdays or family names.

The primary causes for RHD are infections, stroke, tumors, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). 

Treatment 

A speech and language pathologist (SLP) will help improve the patient’s symptoms. Suggestions will be made by the SLP in order for the patient to have an easier time trying to cope with their problems. Treatment will vary depending on the severity of the injury. 

Left Brain Activity 

• Logic,
• Reasoning, 
• Language,
• Science,
• Math,
• Analytical thought, 
• Verbal, and
• Right-hand control. 

Symptoms 

• Trouble understanding spoken and written language. The individual will have a difficult time trying to comprehend what others are communicating to them. They will not fully understand the words being used in the conversation. 
• Struggling to express spoken and written language. The individual will struggle with their vocabulary. They may not be able to use words correctly and will have a difficult time trying to construct a full sentence when socializing with others. 
• Impaired logic. The individual may struggle with problem solving. They may also have issues with anything involving numbers. 
• Changes in speech. The individual’s voice may sound different from what it was prior to the injury. 
• Verbal memory problems. The individual is unable to comprehend verbally presented information and cannot retain it in their memories long-term. They will face difficulties when it comes to remembering what was said to them in past conversations.

Treatment 

Treatment will be similar to a right brain injury. Rehabilitation, training, and therapy are required to help the victim learn how to manage their emotional or behavioral problems. Therapy options include, but are not limited to:

• Physical therapy. Physical therapists will help the individual build physical strength and coordination.
• Occupational therapy. Occupational therapists will help the individual learn or relearn how to do specific tasks, such as day-to-day activities. 
• Speech therapy. Speech therapists will help the individual develop their communication skills. 
• Cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapists will help improve the individual’s attention, learning, planning, and memory. 

Advice for Individuals Interacting With Victims of Brain Injury

• Do not use too much sarcasm around them since they will not be aware of it.
• Use calendars, agendas, notepads, or clocks to help them remember important dates or times. 
• Speak to them in quiet places. Loud areas will have them lose their focus. 
• Make a routine for them to give them an idea on what to expect each day. 
• Make sure that there is someone properly monitoring them. 

West Coast Trial Lawyers Is Here to Help 

If you or a loved one were the victim of brain injury due to negligent acts committed by another individual, our skilled brain injury attorneys at West Coast Trial Lawyers will help you recover compensation for the losses you have suffered, including medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. 

We offer a free, no-obligation consultation at our firm. No fees are paid until your case has been settled. Reach out to our 24/7 legal team by calling (213) 927-3700 or filling out our quick contact form.