Injuring your brain can be a scary and unpredictable recovery. Scientists are still learning about the human mind and how it works, so the healing process can be less straightforward than other injuries. Also known as TBI, traumatic brain injuries have different levels of severity and methods of treatment in hopes of achieving a full TBI recovery. Here is what you need to know about what a traumatic brain injury is, how it can be treated, and what recovery and rehabilitation can look like.
Three Levels of TBI
There are three degrees of TBI a person can suffer from. Mild TBI, also known as a concussion, is relatively easy to recover from and most people get back all their brain function within 3 months of the injury. Most people recover sooner. This recovery is dependent on where and how hard the brain was hit. Symptoms include dizziness, confusion, sensitivity to light and sound, as well as trouble with concentration.
The second degree of TBI is the moderate level. Here most people recover the majority of all of the brain function. This level of traumatic brain injury rehabilitation may include neurosurgery, physical, or speech therapy.
In severe cases of TBI, traumatic brain injury rehabilitation is difficult to predict as it strongly depends on the location of the trauma, the severity of the damage, and the length of time in a coma. With more severe effects, severe traumatic brain injuries recovery is much longer than moderate or mild TBI. Symptoms of both moderate and severe TBI additionally include vomiting, slurred speech, and dilated pupils.
Causes of TBI
There are two types of causes for traumatic brain injury, closed head injuries and penetrating injuries. Closed head injuries that could induce a TBI are falling, sports injuries, motor vehicle crashes, and being hit by an object. Common penetrating injuries include being hit by shrapnel, a bullet, a hammer, a knife, a baseball bat, or a head injury that causes a bone fragment to pierce the brain.
Recovering From TBI
There are three main ways of TBI treatment. Some surgical options that help reduce extra damage. These include removing blood clots, repairing skull bone fractures, and relieving pressure within the skull. Medicines can also be used to treat some symptoms of TBI. Medications to reduce anxiety and mood instability are common, as well as more serious conditions such as seizures, muscle spasms, and blood clots. As persons can be sluggish as a result of a traumatic brain injury, medicine can be used to give more alertness as well.
With severe cases of TBI, rehabilitation therapies are often needed for physical, emotional, and cognitive issues. Physical therapy is used to build up strength and coordination and can be paired with occupational therapy which helps in relearning how to perform daily tasks.
Speech therapy assists with speech and communication skills that can be damaged by a brain injury. Swallowing therapy is also included in this category. Psychological counseling may be needed to treat the emotional trauma involved with a TBI, as well as vocational and cognitive therapy which can help return to daily life.
