Health and Wellness

Signs and Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury

Posted on by Wendy Hooker
When a traumatic brain injury occurs, the injured person may experience physical, cognitive, or behavioral effects. Symptoms are dependent on whether the injury is localized or widespread, the severity of the injury, and the part(s) of the brain that are affected. Mild, Moderate, and Severe TBI With mild TBI, a person may remain conscious or may lose consciousness for a few seconds or minutes. Outside of losing consciousness, other symptoms may not be present or noticed at the time of the ...
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Living with a Brain Injury

Posted on by Wendy Hooker
There’s no denying that life is different after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). In addition to all the physical changes a brain injury may bring, a TBI can also mean the loss of a career or the disruption of an education. It can change your plans for the future, alter the way you meet and make friends, and affect the way you think about yourself. Life after a brain injury usually involves challenges, but that doesn’t mean life is less valuable or fulfilling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_...
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Brain Injury and Sports

Posted on by Wendy Hooker
Anyone who has a head injury during a sporting event needs to immediately stop all activity and not return to play that day. Being active again before the brain returns to normal functioning increases the person’s risk of having a more serious brain injury. Every coach, player, teacher, parent, and trainer should know the symptoms of a concussion and the importance of getting medical help when a player has a head injury. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZox4PQo2Qg Returning to Play After a H...
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Rehabilitation for Traumatic Brain Injury

Posted on by Wendy Hooker
Most people who have had a significant brain injury will require rehabilitation. They may need to relearn basic skills such as walking, eating, or talking; the goal is to improve their abilities to function at home and in the community. Acute Rehabilitation As early as possible in the recovery process, individuals who sustain brain injuries will begin acute rehabilitation. The treatment is provided in a special unit of the trauma hospital, a rehabilitation hospital or another inpatient set...
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Treatment for Brain Injuries

Posted on by Wendy Hooker
Treatment and rehabilitation for traumatic brain-injury (TBI) depends on the severity and effects of the brain damage. Mild TBI may require no treatment other than rest, over-the-counter pain relievers, and close monitoring by a physician for any persistent, worsening or new symptoms. Moderate to severe traumatic brain injury may require emergency surgery and intensive care to stabilize the injured person and minimize secondary injury. Surgery Emergency surgery may be needed to prevent or ...
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Concussions

Posted on by Wendy Hooker
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) that alters how the brain functions. Effects are usually temporary, but can include problems with headache, concentration, alertness, memory, judgment, reflexes, speech, balance, coordination, and sleep. What Causes a Concussion? The brain is a soft organ (like gelatin) that is surrounded-by and floats-in cerebrospinal fluid within the skull. Normally, the fluid around the brain acts like a cushion that keeps the brain from banging into t...
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Diagnosing a Brain Injury

Posted on by Wendy Hooker
The effects of traumatic brain injuries can worsen swiftly without treatment, so doctors and other medical personnel need to assess the injury rapidly. Diagnosing a brain injury involves looking for signs of damage to the brain, either through scanning devices like computerized tomography (CT scans), magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs), and X-rays, or through screening-tests and scoring-systems that measure a person’s speech, movement, memory, and thought. Glasgow Coma Scale The Glasgow Coma...
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Classifying a Spinal Cord Injury

Posted on by Wendy Hooker
A spinal cord injury can be classified by level or by type. The level of injury describes the location of the injury and what parts of the body are affected while the injury type describes the degree of damage. Level of Spinal Cord Injury The level of spinal-cord injury refers to the location along the spinal cord where the injury occurred and also indicates which body parts are most likely to experience a loss of movement and/or sensation. The level of injury is designated by a letter-number ...
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Living with a Spinal Cord Injury

Posted on by Wendy Hooker
Adjusting to the effects of a spinal cord injury is difficult; in addition to the physical limitations and challenge of learning how to compensate for abilities that have permanently changed, there’s also an emotional and psychological impact from losing independence, having to rely on others for activities of daily living, and suffering from chronic conditions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dpn6HtywuZ4 Some of the complications a SCI survivor may experience include loss of control over ...
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