Since March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, the CDC wants to raise awareness in the United States concerning traumatic brain injury, also known as TBI.
The brain's function is disrupted by impact that can cause moderate damage for instance from a mild concussion, to more extensive damage from injuries that may be life-threatening. In the most extreme cases, a TBI can lead to coma or death.
The Brain Injury Association of America has mounted a campaign that reminds Americans that “A concussion is a brain injury. Get the facts.”
Dr. Jeffrey T. Barth of Virginia is an expert in the field of brain injury presently serving as Senior Scientist to Virginia Neurocare and Network partner Lakeview Healthcare Systems. He will be visiting high schools in the Charlottesville area, to talk about the importance of recognizing and treating young athlete's concussions.
Barth will also work with coaches and athletic directors to put his programs in place to assess concussions and other mild head injuries.
In an article on Neurorestorative.com, Barth was quoted as saying, "“A concussion is one of the most common sports-related brain injuries, especially for children and adolescents."
The CDC estimates that 3.8 million concussions from sports and recreation every year. Out of these injuries, ERs treat 135,000 TBIs in children 5-18 years of age.
In the United States, young children and senior adults are at highest risk for traumatic brain injuries from falls. People from 15-24 years of age are at hightest risk for TBIs from accidents involving automobiles and other vehicles.
Seniors 65 years of age and older have the highest risk for being hospitalized with traumatic brain injuries, and their TBIs are also most likely to prove fatal.
People who have already suffered a traumatic brain injury are at higher risk of experiencing another one. They are also more likely to have a longer recovery period after another TBI.
A TBI can resolve in a short time. But in some cases, their troubling symptoms can go on for days, for weeks and sometimes for much longer. Seniors, children and adolescents are most likely to have slow recovery times.
The CDC website lists these symptoms that can occur with a traumatic brain injury:
- Thinking clearly or concentration may be difficult
- Vision may be blurry or fuzzy
- Headache
- Irritability
- Excessive or little sleep
- Nausea or vomiting
- Dizziness or balance problems
- Feeling sad for no apparent reason
- Greater sensitivity to light or noise
- Memory problems with new information
- Fatigue
- Anxiety or nervousness
Be aware that while some symptoms will appear right after the injury occurs, others may not emerge till days or months later.
If you may have sustained a TBI, it's important to see a health care professional. You may then be referred to one or more specialists, like a neurologist, neurosurgeon, or a neuropsychologist. You might also need to see someone for rehabilitation such as a speech pathologist.
The sooner you see the right specialists, the sooner you can be on the road to recovery.
Sources:
Preventing Traumatic Brain Injury. CDC.gov. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
http://www.cdc.gov/features/braininjury
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. Neurorestorative.com. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
http://www.neurorestorative.com/news/march-is-brain-injury-awareness-month
Visit Jody's website at http://www.ncubator.ca