Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic Brain Injury is also called acquired
brain injury, or simply put – head injury and occurs when a
sudden trauma occurs in the brain, damaging it or parts of it.
Injury can result when an object suddenly pierces through the
skull and enters into the brain tissue or when the head hits an
object violently.
Symptoms of TBI can vary from mild to moderate and even severe,
depending on the extent of damage done to the brain. A person
suffering from milder symptoms may experience unconsciousness
for a few seconds or minutes or may remain unconscious for a
period of time. Other classic symptoms of TBI include severe
headaches, lightheadedness, blurred vision, confusion,
dizziness, tired eyes, bad taste in the mouth, ringing in the
ears, lethargy, fatigue, mood swings, behavioral pattern
changes, change in sleeping patterns and even trouble with
concentration, memory, thinking and attention.
A person suffering from moderate to severe symptoms will show
all of the above symptoms, but in addition, will also complain
of a severe headache that appears to get worse or just does not
go away. Apart from this, the other symptoms are nausea and
vomiting, seizures or convulsions, inability to awaken from
sleep, dilation of the pupils, weakness, numbness in the
extremities, slurred speech, increased confusion, loss of
coordination, agitation or restlessness.
What are the Treatment Options?
Anyone showing signs and symptoms of moderate to severe TBI
should always receive immediate medical attention. Since very
little can be done to reverse the adverse effects of the initial
brain damage that is caused by the trauma, medical professionals
generally try to stabilize the concerned individual and instead
focus on preventing any further damage or injury.
Primary concerns may include ensuring that there is proper
supply of oxygen running to the brain and the rest of the body
at all times, controlling blood pressure and maintaining
adequate blood flow.
There are imaging tests that help to determine the prognosis and
diagnosis of the patient. Patients suffering from mild to
moderate symptoms may receive neck and skull X-rays to check for
spinal instability or for any bone fractures. For moderate to
severe injuries, the imaging test held is a computed tomography
(CT Scan). Patients with such moderate or severe injures will be
subjected to rehabilitation that would involve individually
tailored treatment courses and programs in areas like
occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy,
psychology, physiatry, and social support.
Prognosis
More than half of the patients suffering from severe TBI will
need immediate surgery in order to repair or remove the ruptured
blood vessels or hematomas or the bruised brain tissues or
contusions. Disabilities that result from a Traumatic Brain
Injury entirely depend on the severity of the injury, the
general health of the patient, the age of the person, and the
location of the injury.
Some common disabilities are problems with sensory processing
(sight, touch, smell, hearing and taste), cognition (memory,
reasoning and thinking), mental health or behavior (depression,
aggression, anxiety, social inappropriateness, and personality
changes), and communication (understanding and expressing).
Some of the more serious injuries can result in unresponsive
behavior, a kind of stupor although the individual can be
immediately aroused with the help of a strong stimulus like
sharp pain. The patient will appear to be in a comatose state
and will appear to be completely unresponsive, unconscious,
unarousable and unaware. It is a sort of a vegetative state, in
which the individual will be completely unaware and unconscious
of his surroundings, but will continue to have brief periods of
awareness, a regular sleep and wake cycle and will constantly be
in a vegetative state for maybe more than a month – this is
known as the persistent vegetative state (PVS).
What Research is Being Carried out?
The NINDS or the National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke has been conducting experiments and research for
Traumatic Brain Injuries at its laboratories at the NIH or
National Institutes of Health. It also supports research for TBI
by donating grants to other major medical institutions all over
the country.
The research carried out includes studies performed in clinical
settings and laboratories. Research is carried out to better
understand TBI and the underlying biological mechanisms that
result from damage made to the brain. This research allows
scientists to develop new and interesting interventions and
strategies to limit the primary as well as secondary damage that
may occur within a few days of the injury. It also helps to
devise new therapies to help treat head injuries and to improve
long-term recovery of body functions.
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