Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury
What Is TBI?
Traumatic Brain Injury or TBI is a broad spectrum of symptoms and disabilities that result from a physical injury to the brain. It is an injury that is more common than we would like to admit and can drastically change a person's personality and their physical and mental abilities. In the past, the death rate from traumatic brain injuries was incredibly high. However, thanks to technological advances in medicine, TBI is treatable. It should be noted that the effects of TBI, even with modern medicine, are still quite significant.What Are The Symptoms?
The symptoms of TBI can vary from person to person depending on the severity and area of injury. For this reason, TBI patients are often separated into two categories: mild and severe. Those with mild forms of TBI can appear to have a perfectly healthy brain on MRI and CAT scans, but struggle with cognitive problems such as:- • Difficultly thinking or concentrating
- • Brief moments of confusion or disorientation
- • Memory problems
- • Dizziness or loss of balance
- • Sleep disturbances
- • Recurring headaches or migraines
- • Mood swings
- • Depression
- • Sensitivity to light and sounds
- • Seizures
- • Memory loss
- • Partial or total paralysis
- • Chronic pain
- • Loss of thinking ability
- • Abnormal speech
- • Sleep disorders
- • Inability to control emotions
- • Epileptic seizures or convulsions
- • Decreased or loss of hearing, vision, taste, or smell