How long do coma and states of altered consciousness last?
Generally, after traumatic brain injury (TBI), the deepest level of true coma lasts from two to four weeks. If the person does not wake from the coma, they enter a semi comatose state, called vigil coma or vegetative state that include sleep/wake cycles. With late stage dementia altered consciousness can last until death, with varying, often surprising, periods of greater lucidity. In metabolic comas near death people may be in and out again of altered consciousness many times for hours, days, or weeks at a stretch. Coma Communication: A comatose person has the best chance of regaining normal consciousness when coma work is received as quickly as possible. With those suffering traumatic brain injury, brain swelling has to subside before coma work begins, because any excitement may increase brain swelling and endanger the patient. Brain injury, dementia, and near death states affect every patient differently. Prognosis is difficult to impossible. Coma Communication maintains hope along
