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What is a traumatic brain injury?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the function of the brain. Not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI. The severity of such an injury may range from “mild,” — a brief change in mental status or consciousness—to “severe”, an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia after the injury. A TBI can result in short or long-term problems with independent function.
What causes TBI?
The leading causes of TBI are:
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Bullets, fragments, blasts
- Falls
- Motor vehicle-traffic crashes
- Assaults
Blasts are a leading cause of TBI for active duty military personnel in war zones.
Who is at highest risk for TBI?
- Males are about 1.5 times as likely as females to sustain a TBI
- Military duties increase the risk of sustaining a TBI
Symptoms of mild TBI or Concussion
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Headaches
- Dizziness
- Excessive fatigue (tiredness)
- Concentration problems
- Forgetting things (memory problems)
- Irritability
- Sleep problems
- Balance problems
- Ringing in the ears
- Vision change
Recovery from TBI:
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Get plenty of sleep at night and rest during the day.
- Return to normal activities gradually, not all at once.
- Until you are better, avoid activities that can lead to a second brain injury such as contact or recreational sports. Remember to use helmets and safety belts to decrease your risk of having a second brain injury.
- Don’t drink alcohol; it may slow your brain recovery and it puts you at risk of further injury.
- If it’s harder to remember things, write them down.
- If you find you are losing important items, begin putting them in the same place all the time.
- If you are easily distracted or having difficulty concentrating, try doing only one thing at a time in a quiet, non-distracting environment.
- If you feel irritable, then remove yourself from the situation that’s irritating you or use relaxation techniques to help manage the situation. Irritability is worse when you are tired, so rest will help.
- Be patient! Healing from a brain injury takes time.
Symptoms of mild TBI or concussion often resolve within hours to days and almost always improve over 1 – 3 months. However, if symptoms persist without improvement,
medical treatment should be sought.