Traumatic Brain Injury
Information and Prevention
Definition
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)- A physical injury to brain tissue that temporarily or permanently impairs brain function.
Causes and Symptoms
Brain injuries can be caused falls (28%), motor vehicle accidents (20%), collisions with objects (19%) and high-contact sports (33%)
Symptoms to look for are headaches, confusion, dizziness, vomiting and fatigue, restlessness and personality changes
Facts about Concussions
- Concussions can cause tearing of nerve tissues
- Brain cells affected by concussions go through a chemical change that temporarily affects function
- Brain is more susceptible to second injury
PICTURE ABOVE
Treatment
Treatment-
- Ice, rest, pain reliever (Mild head injury)
- Stitches, skin glue, cleansed and inspected (Wound)
- Hospitalization, seizure medication, ICP monitor probe (Severe head injury)
Prevention
Always wear a seatbelt when driving, wear a helmet when appropriate and don't drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Brain Hemorrhage
Hemorrhages are caused by traumatic brain injury. They're an accumulation of blood that compresses the brain as the brain swells, damaging the tissue.
MRI
This is a picture of an MRI showing the brain after having a brain injury.
Post Injury
This is a picture of a brain after having a TBI
Statistics
- Traumatic Brain Injuries cause 50,000 deaths per year and 450,000 hospitalizations per year.
- 75% of TBIs are concussions
- Concussion rates are 4% in teenagers and children, many causes aren't reported
- Between 2.5-6.5 million people in the United States have had a TBI