Prevention

Because damage to the brain can be a root cause of amnesia, it's important to take steps to minimize your chance of a brain injury. For example:

• Avoid excessive alcohol use.
• Wear a helmet when bicycling and a seat belt when driving.
• Treat any infection quickly so that it doesn't have a chance to spread to the brain.
• Seek immediate medical treatment if you have any symptoms that suggest a stroke or brain aneurysm, such as a severe headache or one-sided numbness or paralysis.