Category Archives: Brain Injury Treatment

Conway firefighter Danny Collins suffered an brain injury while training in a dive class in Hot Springs and has been transported to Shreveport for treatment. What was thought to be an embolism is still undetermined, according to Conway Fire Chief Bart Castleberry. He said doctors in Shreveport are still monitoring the situation. Castleberry said Collins was taking part in dive training class Saturday and was in about 20 feet of water performing a search grid task with fellow firefighter Ty Ledbetter. Ledbetter said he felt a tug on his line and found that Collins had become tangled. Both worked on fixing the line and emerging to the surface when Collins had problems breathing. It was a blessing that the doctor in Hot Springs had seen this kind of injury before and knew what to do, Castleberry said. He knew what type of brain injury this is. Collins was able to see his wife, Brandi before being airlifted to Shreveport for treatment. His family and a liaison from the fire department are now in Shreveport with Collins. Castleberry said he will spend about a week in ICU, spending time in a hyperbaric chamber for his injuries. Castleberry and fellow firefighter Ricky … Continue reading →

Courtesy Photo Hack What do you think has contributed to the greater awareness of traumatic brain injuries in recent years? The media attention to the care of Wounded Warriors in 2007 focused awareness on several issues including traumatic brain injury, calling TBI the signature wound of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. This led to a large appropriation to improve the care for TBI and psychological health and to significantly accelerate research in these areas. This was followed by increasing scrutiny of traumatic brain injuries in sports. What are some of the most promising fields of research? Improved screening and diagnostic tools for TBI show the most promise for early advances in care for traumatic brain injury. Much work is being done to develop improved treatments, including pharmaceuticals and advanced rehabilitation, but this will take somewhat longer to reach the clinic. What are some of the ways in which the Army is studying mild traumatic brain injury? More than 500 research projects in traumatic brain injury have been undertaken since 2007, almost half of which study mild TBI. Most of these projects are performed by partnering with academic researchers throughout the U.S. As a leader in the field, how far … Continue reading →

Richmond, Va. -- About concussions What is a concussion? A concussion is a mild form of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head. Concussions also can occur from a fall or a blow to the body that causes the head to move rapidly back and forth. Doctors may describe these injuries as mild because concussions are usually not life-threatening. Even so, their effects can be serious. Concussions are a common type of sports injury. National Library of Medicine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention How common are concussions? Each year, an estimated 1.7 million people suffer a traumatic brain injury in the U.S. About 75 percent are mild traumatic brain injuries or concussions. Of those suffering a traumatic brain injury, about 52,000 die, 275,000 are hospitalized, and 1.4 million are treated and released from an emergency department. The number of people who suffer a concussion and do not seek treatment or who are treated in places other than emergency rooms is not known. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention What are the top causes of concussions? (based on emergency department data) falls See the original post here: Concussions at a glance … Continue reading →

Graston Technique stainless steel instruments The fact that football, like soccer, is a concussive sport was underscored when earlier in September the National Football League said it was donating $30 million for brain injury research to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health. Yet several efforts have been made to make football a less dangerous sport or at least one where action can be taken quickly if there is any evidence of injury. Here are two. Concussion Screening Tests Just five years ago, screening tests that provide a baseline reading for how an athletes brain is functioning wasnt available, said Keith Cronin, a St. Louis, Missouri,physical therapist and center manager at SSM-Select Physical Therapy. The ImPACT test is used by many hospitals, including Cincinnati Childrens Medical Center, Nebraska Orthopaedic Hospital and University of Chicaho hospitals; several NFL teams including Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, and the New England Patriots and other professional sport teams; and sports medicine centers around the country. Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue MobilizationThis kind of therapy is to treat injuries like tendinpathies, diseases of the tendon like tendinitis and tendinosis, and allows the athlete to keep moving despite the injury. For instance, the Graston Technique uses stainless … Continue reading →

Public release date: 21-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Lauren Scrivo lscrivo@kesslerfoundation.org 973-324-8384 Kessler Foundation WEST ORANGE, N.J.Two neuroscientists at Kessler Foundation received grants from the New Jersey Commission on Brain Injury Research. Helen Genova, Ph.D., research scientist in Neuropsychology & Neuroscience Research was awarded a three-year Individual Research Grant totaling $462,103. Starla Weaver, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Research, received a three-year Fellowship Research Grant for $199,764. Kessler Foundation conducts cognitive and mobility rehabilitation research in brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke and multiple sclerosis. Nancy Chiaravalloti, Ph.D., director of Traumatic Brain Injury and Neuropsychology & Neuroscience Research, commented, "We are pleased to have the support of the Commission for these important studies. Expanding our knowledge of how TBI affects brain function will help us to devise more effective strategies for cognitive rehabilitation." Dr. Genova is interested in the long-term cognitive dysfunction that can cause disability after brain injury. While some recover over time, a significant number of individuals show continued impairment and even progressive cognitive decline. The identification of an accurate and reliable predictor of cognitive outcome would help to guide patients and families through the recovery process, but such a predictor … Continue reading →

By: Mary Kathryn Kight Chris McHann has no recollection of the day his four-wheeler flipped, but his mother remembers it like it was yesterday. It was May 1, 2010 at noon, and Chris was on his way to go fishing with a friend when his four-wheeler flipped and landed on top of him, said Chris mother Tonya McHann. Chris escaped with no broken bones, but suffered six skull fractures and bleeding on his brain. We spent 33 days in the neuro ICU at UMC in Jackson. He stayed in a coma, and I was afraid he would never walk or talk to us again, she said. After his lengthy hospitalization and spending a couple of weeks in an inpatient rehabilitation clinic, Chris came home in June and began physical, occupational and speech therapy at OCH Regional Medical Centers Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinic, where he relearned how to do day-to-day tasks. I didnt want to go, but it wasnt about wanting to go. I needed to go, recalled Chris. All of the therapists were really helpful and good to me. They got me back to where I needed to be. OCH Regional Medical Center Speech-Language Pathologist Laurel Jones, MS, CCC-SLP, worked one-on-one … Continue reading →

WEST ORANGE, NJ--(Marketwire - Sep 20, 2012) - Kessler Foundation has appointed two research directors. Trevor Dyson-Hudson, M.D., has assumed the position of director of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) & Outcomes Assessment Research. Nancy Chiaravalloti, Ph.D., has been named director of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Research. Drs. Dyson-Hudson and Chiaravalloti are also project directors of National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)-funded model systems -- the Northern New Jersey SCI System (NNJSCIS) and the Northern New Jersey TBI System (NNJTBIS), respectively. Kessler Foundation is one of six centers with model systems in both spinal cord and brain injury. Both researchers had served as interim directors prior to their appointments. John DeLuca, Ph.D., vice president for Research and Training, oversees the Foundation's well-known research and postdoctoral training programs. In addition to SCI and TBI, Kessler Foundation conducts research in stroke rehabilitation, human performance and engineering, outcomes assessment and neuropsychology & neuroscience. "As accomplished researchers, Drs. Chiaravalloti and Dyson-Hudson contribute to Kessler Foundation's international leadership in rehabilitation research," said Rodger DeRose, president and chief executive officer of Kessler Foundation. "As well regarded collaborators in their fields, they extend the Foundation's work to change the lives of individuals with disabilities caused by … Continue reading →

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense (DoD) are investing more than $100 million in research to improve diagnosis and treatment of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). At VA, ensuring that our Veterans receive quality care is our highest priority, said Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. Investing in innovative research that will lead to treatments for PTSD and TBI is critical to providing the care our Veterans have earned and deserve. The two groups, The Consortium to Alleviate PTSD (CAP) and the Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium (CENC) will be jointly managed by VA, and by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), on behalf of the DoD. More than 15 percent of Servicemembers and Veterans suffer impaired functioning as a result of PTSD. CAP will study potential indicators of the trauma, as well as prevention strategies, possible interventions, and improved treatments. Biomarker-based researched will be a key factor for CAPs studies. A primary goal of CENC is to establish an understanding of the aftereffects of an mTBI. Potential comorbidities also will be studied; that is, conditions associated with and worsen because of a neurotrauma. PTSD and mTBI are two of … Continue reading →

The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense (DoD) are investing more than $100 million in research to improve diagnosis and treatment of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). "At VA, ensuring that our Veterans receive quality care is our highest priority," said Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. "Investing in innovative research that will lead to treatments for PTSD and TBI is critical to providing the care our Veterans have earned and deserve." The two groups, The Consortium to Alleviate PTSD (CAP) and the Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium (CENC) will be jointly managed by VA, and by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), on behalf of the DoD. More than 15 percent of Servicemembers and Veterans suffer impaired functioning as a result of PTSD. CAP will study potential indicators of the trauma, as well as prevention strategies, possible interventions, and improved treatments. Biomarker-based researched will be a key factor for CAP's studies. A primary goal of CENC is to establish an understanding of the aftereffects of an mTBI. Potential comorbidities also will be studied; that is, conditions associated with and worsen because of a neurotrauma. "PTSD and mTBI are two of the most … Continue reading →

Brewer - A government council is hearing directly from those who it's designed to help out. Folks like Patrick Skidgel, who has survived three brain tumors, and William Parker, whose wife suffered a major stroke two years ago. The Acquired Brain Injury Advisory Council held a public hearing at the Maine Center for Integrated Rehab in Brewer on Tuesday. The council is required to hold these types of hearings at least twice a year. "They're really looking for ideas and suggestions and feedback on how things could be better for folks with brain injuries and their families," said Gary Wolcott, Associate Director of the Office of Aging and Disability Services. Mainers who've suffered from these injuries say government funded services have been a huge help to them and they don't want to see them cut from the budget. "Every time they go to do the budgets, they cut Maine head trauma stuff and it's like, that's the last thing they need to be cutting. We need to increase that again so we can have these services available for people," said Skidgel. They say since there are services available, make sure the folks who need them, know how to get them. … Continue reading →