Due to the unpredictable nature of consciousness in the early stages of traumatic brain injury, it is nearly impossible to predict when a patient will awaken from a coma in the first 24 hours after a traumatic brain injury. However, a coma rarely lasts over a month. Instead, individuals who remain unconscious for prolonged periods typically progress to a wakeful but unconscious state called post-coma unresponsiveness. In the next section, we will discuss post-coma unresponsiveness and additional states of consciousness that may occur after a coma. What to Expect After Waking Up from Coma After Brain InjuryĪfter an individual awakens from a coma, they may experience various states of consciousness. Below, we’ll address 3 common states of consciousness: post-coma unresponsiveness, minimally conscious state, and post-traumatic amnesia. It’s important to note that a person’s progression between these post-coma stages is not always linear. Recovery can cease at any of these stages, and sometimes the person will skip directly from a coma to post-traumatic amnesia. If a person has eye movement but no other signs of consciousness, they are in a wakeful but unconscious state known as post-coma unresponsiveness.Īn individual with post-coma unresponsiveness has regained a normal sleep/wake cycle and should be able to open and close their eyes, as well as react to loud noises. While these may appear to be signs of consciousness, they are actually the result of involuntary, autonomic responses. Post-coma states can endure for months, even years, before the patient regains consciousness.
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