We often take for granted all of the miraculous things that our brains accomplish. Important connections and interactions between our nervous, vascular, and endocrine (hormonal) systems enable our brains to help us communicate, understand each other, move our limbs, feel happy, enjoy our lives, drive a car, and carry out thousands of other daily complex tasks. But when a person experiences a traumatic brain injury, all of these gifts of the brain are threatened and might leave a person mildly or severely disabled – either for a brief time or for the rest of his or her life. Right now there are more than 5.3 million people living in the United States with a traumatic brain injury according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What Is Traumatic Brain Injury?
Traumatic brain injury as an injury that occurs when a sudden trauma of any sort causes damage to the brain. The CDC states it could be from “a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain.
According to the CDC, 1.4 million people in the United States experience a traumatic brain injury each year, and 50,000 people die each year from these injuries.
Brain trauma is the leading cause of death and disability among children and adults ages 1 to 44. People over the age of 75 have the highest rate of hospitalizations and deaths caused by traumatic brain injuries, possibly because the most common causes of these injuries are falls and accidents. Other common causes are being struck in the head (for example, a sports-related injury), colliding with a moving object, and assaults from firearms.
The Signs and Symptoms
Initial signs and symptoms of a traumatic brain injury, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, include loss of consciousness (although a person with a mild traumatic brain injury might not lose consciousness), headaches, difficulty concentrating or thinking, confusion, blurred vision, altered speech, seizures, nausea and vomiting, altered sleep, behavior and moods changes, difficulty moving, numbness in the limbs, and lack of coordination.
Anyone who has been hit in the head or otherwise experiences an injury to the head should seek immediate medical attention. Even if initial symptoms are mild, they can be misleading, and a serious injury might have occurred to the brain. The Brain Trauma Foundation points out that “not all brain trauma occurs at the moment of impact, but rather evolves over the ensuing hours and days after the initial injury due to brain swelling and low oxygen blood flow to the brain.” The Foundation emphasizes that this is why immediate attention from experienced healthcare professionals is critical to treat the trauma and preserve as much brain function as possible.
Prevention Tips
Because traumatic brain injuries can cause long-term and even lifelong disabilities, it is especially important to prevent such an injury whenever possible. Here are some tips from the experts for avoiding head injuries:
- When participating in sports, always wear recommended safety equipment, which in the case of football or ice hockey always includes a helmet.But a helmet is recommended for other sports and leisure activities, too, including skiing, horseback riding, motorcycle riding, and bicycling. It’s important to choose a helmet that is appropriate for the activity you engage in.
- When traveling in a motor vehicle, always wear a seatbelt. Also, make sure that infants and children are buckled in age-appropriate seating. Know the weight, height, and age guidelines for child safety seats and child safety while riding in motor vehicles.
- Don't drink and drive, and don't ride with someone who has been drinking.
- Never dive into the shallow end of a pool or into a body of water if you do not know the depth of the water.
- Set up your household to help everyone avoid falls and accidents. Be especially concerned about the very young and the very old who are most likely to fall. Use barrier gates at the top and bottom of stairways. Use non-slip mats in bathtubs and showers. And always make sure there are handrails on stairways. Remember that infants, the very elderly, and disabled people (who are susceptible to accidents and falling) should always be closely supervised in any setting.
These are just a few of the tips for preventing traumatic brain injuries. For more suggestions in detail, contact:
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