10 Facts About Brain Injuries
One of the best, if not the best, educational resources for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), including mild brain injury (i.e., concussions), can be found on the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website. The site offers a credible, reliable and accessible resource for anyone seeking basic information about TBI or wants to keep up to date on current research and findings.
Why the CDC?
In 2000, the US Congress passed legislation charging the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ Center for Disease Control (CDC) to focus attention on brain injury research and to make that information accessible to the public. Since that time CDC has issued several publications with useful information for physicians, TBI victims , coaches, Congress, and even criminal justice professionals. (For a full index of CDC reports on TBI, link here.)
Based on the most current brain injury research, these articles and publications are easy to understand and have particular credibility since they are issued by a respected US Government agency. In addition, the site offers other substantial information about TBI including many common misunderstandings, especially where TBI is categorized as “mild.” Did you know that new developments could demonstrate that “mild” TBI can have very serious lifelong consequences? If not, then head on over to the CDC website, or subscribe to our blog for our interpretation of the latest developments—subscribe by email or RSS feed over on the right sidebar of this post.
Top 10 Facts about Brain Injuries
Here are ten helpful clarifications, and links to original publications from the CDC, that I believe all TBI sufferers, their families, and interested friends should read and understand:
(1) “In recent years, public health and health care communities have become increasingly aware that the consequences of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) may not, in fact, be mild. Epidemiologic research has identified MTBI as a public health problem of large magnitude, while clinical research has provided evidence that these injuries can cause serious, lasting problems.
(2) “A concussion is a brain injury. All concussions are serious. Concussions can occur without loss of consciousness or other obvious signs.”
(3) “Some symptoms may appear right away, while others may not be noticed for days or months after the injury, or until the person starts resuming their everyday life and more demands are placed upon them.”
(4) “MTBI is caused by a blow or jolt to the head that disrupts the function of the brain. This disturbance of brain function is typically associated with normal structural neuroimaging findings, i.e., CT Scan, MRI. MTBI results in a constellation of physical, cognitive, emotional and/or sleep-related symptoms and may or may not involve loss of consciousness.”
(5) “Unlike severe TBIs, the disturbance of brain function from MTBI is related more to dysfunction of brain metabolism rather than to structural injury or damage. The current understanding of the underlying pathology of MTBI involves a paradigm shift away from a focus on anatomic damage to an emphasis on neuronal dysfunction involving a complex cascade of ionic, metabolic and physiologic events. Clinical signs and symptoms of MTBI such as poor memory, speed of processing, fatigue, and dizziness result from this underlying neurometabolic cascade.”
(6) “Diagnosing MTBIs can be challenging as symptoms of MTBI are common to those of other medical conditions (such as post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], depression, and headache syndromes), and the onset may occur days or weeks after the initial injury.”
(7) “Research indicates that up to 90% of concussions do not involve Loss of Consciousness.”
(8) “Physicians should be aware that symptoms will typically worsen or re-emerge with exertion.”
(9) “Sometimes people do not recognize or admit that they are having problems. Others may not understand why they are having problems and what their problems really are, which can make them nervous and upset.” Read more about how to recognize the signs and symptoms of a concussion.
(10) “In general, recovery may be slower among older adults, young children, and teens. Those who have had a concussion in the past are also at risk of having another one and may find that it takes longer to recover if they have another concussion.”
Anyone who has suffered, is suffering, or knows someone who has a brain injury can benefit from the educational resources offered by the CDC. Having a clear understanding of the underlying symptoms and rehabilitation options may offer hope and help. If you have questions regarding any legal issues related to brain injury, we welcome your inquiry. Contact us here…