The Frightening Scope Of Traumatic Brain Injury
By Anna Peterson
Monday, February 28, 2005
Traumatic brain injury is an injury that is beyond a minor
head injury that requires no hospitalization. It includes skull fractures,
severe injuries where oxygen temporarily stops reaching the brain. Traumatic
Brain Injury is the injury most likely to result in death or a permanent injury.
Because Traumatic Brain Injury covers such a wide range of injuries, its
effects, symptoms and prognoses vary. Each year minor incidents of Traumatic
Brain Injury happen to over one million people in the United States. These minor
injuries result in the treatment and release from hospital emergency
departments. Another 230,000 people are hospitalized each year with Traumatic
Brain Injury. Of these people, 99,000 will show a lasting disability.
Traumatic Brain Injury happens to males twice as often as it does females, with
males 15 to 24 years of age having the highest risk. This risk of Traumatic
Brain Injury also increases after age 60.
Any type of Traumatic Brain Injury, no matter how minor it may appear should be
taken seriously.
If you experience any loss of consciousness, no matter how
brief, a doctor should be seen as soon as possible. Even if unconsciousness does
not occur, the several hours that follow are still very important and you should
watch for the following symptoms:
-
Headache
-
Slurred speech
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Restlessness
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Vomiting
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Increased drowsiness
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Change in pupils
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Confusion about the time or date
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Memory loss
If any of these symptoms occur, a doctor should be seen
immediately, for they could mean that the brain is bleeding or swelling.
The effects of Traumatic Brain Injury vary in scope from full recovery to severe
disability. For those who suffer a more severe Traumatic Brain Injury, gradual
improvements in function can continue for up to ten years after the injury.
The most common impairing injuries affect three main aspects
of a patient's life:
Cognition: concentration, memory, judgment, mood, comprehension and reasoning
Movement abilities: strength, coordination, balance
Sensation: tactile sensation and special sense, especially vision
Some patients with Traumatic Brain Injury will experience behavioral effects,
too, such as agitation, irritability, verbal or physical aggressiveness,
anxiety, depression and impulsivity. Occasionally, Traumatic Brain Injury will
result in seizure disorder (epilepsy).
If Traumatic Brain Injury is suspected, the doctor will run a series of tests on
the brain that can detect both physical changes in the brain as well as
function.
While not all Traumatic Brain Injury can be prevented, measures can be taken to
reduce the risk of the injury. People who ride motorcycles without a helmet have
twice the risk of Traumatic Brain Injury that those who do wear helmets. Along
the same lines, it is estimated that between 74 and 85 percent of all
bicycle-related head injuries could be prevented with helmets. Airbags in cars
have also been shown to reduce the number of Traumatic Brain Injuries.
Recovery and management of Traumatic Brain Injury is different for each
individual injury. Regardless of the degree of injury, familial support is
essential. Depending on its severity, the healthcare team can involve nurses,
neurologists, physicians, physical therapists and many other healthcare
professionals.
Like any other condition, education about one's injury and local support groups
can be the greatest tools for managing Traumatic Brain Injury and preventing
further complications.
Remember, that the most common cause of Traumatic Brain Injury is from motor vehicle accidents, accounting for almost half of all Traumatic Brain Injuries that require hospitalization. Sports or physical activity is the second most common cause, and assaults are third. For those who are over age 65, falls are the number one cause. Though they only make up a small number of the overall cases of Traumatic Brain Injury, the number of these injuries resulting from gunshot wounds has increased in recent years. Of these, nearly two-thirds are categorized as suicide attempts.
Speak to us now if you believe that someone else is
responsible for a brain injury, we can help.
