Category Archives: Brain Injury Treatment

Acute Hospitals Acute hospitals are generally used during the early phases of brain injury, as they are designed to provide emergency care, minimize complications and long-term effects, and provide early treatment. A person who has suffered a brain injury should be treated in an acute hospital, or in an acute unit within a hospital, until he or she has stabilized. The length of stay in an acute hospital depends upon the severity of the brain injury, the length of the coma, whether surgery is necessary, and the presence of complications. Once the patient is stable, he or she is usually moved to the rehabilitation unit within the hospital, or is referred to a rehabilitation hospital. This is where the patient begins the road to recovery, and may receive services such as physical therapy, counseling, speech and language therapy, cognitive therapy, or a combination of some or all of the above. Since the rehab unit or hospital a patient or a patients family chooses will have an impact on the recuperation of the person with the brain injury, you want to make sure that the chosen unit or hospital offers the best care possible. Once the patient completes his or her … Continue reading →

The familiesof traumatic brain injury (TBI) victims often have many questions when their loved one is transferred to a rehabilitative care center. What happens in rehabilitation?Similar tothe acute care facility, the TBI patient will be cared for by a team of professionals who specialize in the care of trauma victims. Their goals are to: Each day, the patient will participate in therapy. Initially, the patient may require staff assistance for even the most simple activities: brushing teeth, getting out of bed and eating. The patient also may require staff for safety because there is a risk of falling, eloping (trying to get out of the hospital to go home) or getting hurt. The patientmay be confused and forgetful. The Rehabilitation Team The Physiatrist is the team leader in the rehabilitation program. The physiatrist is a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Physiatrists treat a wide range of problems, including the changes after brain injury. The physiatristwill assess and prescribe the treatment and direct the team. The Neuropsychologist is a key member of the rehabilitation team. The neuropsychologistwill assess the patients changesin thinking and behavior. Changes couldinclude: Many patients areunaware of the changes in the brain and how those changesaffect … Continue reading →

Every year, an estimated 1.5 million individuals sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and approximately 75% of these are classified as a mild TBI [1,2]. The American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine defines a mild traumatic brain injury as a patient who has had a traumatically induced physiological disruption of brain function, as manifested by at least one of the following: but where the severity of the injury does not exceed the following: loss of consciousness approximately 30 minutes or less; after 30 minutes, an initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 13-15; and post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) not greater than 24 hours.[3] Mild TBI has been termed a silent epidemic, [4] because many patients do not have visible physical signs. Rather, many patients possess disabling cognitive, psychological, and/or behavioral impairments and employment disabilities that are often unnoticed or misdiagnosed. Individuals seeking medical attention generally receive a standard history and physical exam. Further imaging such as a head Computerized Tomography (CT) or possibly Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) will usually be obtained if the patient has loss of consciousness, posttraumatic amnesia, focal neurological deficits, physical signs of a skull fracture, or was involved in a dangerous mechanism of injury, or are older than the … Continue reading →

The familiesof traumatic brain injury (TBI) victims often have many questions when their loved one is transferred to a rehabilitative care center. What happens in rehabilitation?Similar tothe acute care facility, the TBI patient will be cared for by a team of professionals who specialize in the care of trauma victims. Their goals are to: Each day, the patient will participate in therapy. Initially, the patient may require staff assistance for even the most simple activities: brushing teeth, getting out of bed and eating. The patient also may require staff for safety because there is a risk of falling, eloping (trying to get out of the hospital to go home) or getting hurt. The patientmay be confused and forgetful. The Rehabilitation Team The Physiatrist is the team leader in the rehabilitation program. The physiatrist is a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Physiatrists treat a wide range of problems, including the changes after brain injury. The physiatristwill assess and prescribe the treatment and direct the team. The Neuropsychologist is a key member of the rehabilitation team. The neuropsychologistwill assess the patients changesin thinking and behavior. Changes couldinclude: Many patients areunaware of the changes in the brain and how those changesaffect … Continue reading →

The familiesof traumatic brain injury (TBI) victims often have many questions when their loved one is transferred to a rehabilitative care center. What happens in rehabilitation?Similar tothe acute care facility, the TBI patient will be cared for by a team of professionals who specialize in the care of trauma victims. Their goals are to: Each day, the patient will participate in therapy. Initially, the patient may require staff assistance for even the most simple activities: brushing teeth, getting out of bed and eating. The patient also may require staff for safety because there is a risk of falling, eloping (trying to get out of the hospital to go home) or getting hurt. The patientmay be confused and forgetful. The Rehabilitation Team The Physiatrist is the team leader in the rehabilitation program. The physiatrist is a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Physiatrists treat a wide range of problems, including the changes after brain injury. The physiatristwill assess and prescribe the treatment and direct the team. The Neuropsychologist is a key member of the rehabilitation team. The neuropsychologistwill assess the patients changesin thinking and behavior. Changes couldinclude: Many patients areunaware of the changes in the brain and how those changesaffect … Continue reading →

Anyone with signs of moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) should receive medical attention as soon as possible. Little can be done to reverse the brain damage caused by an accident or injury, but healthcare workers try to keep the injured person's condition stable and prevent further injury. If you or a loved one has a TBI, your healthcare team will work to: Imaging tests help to diagnose TBI. Patients with moderate to severe TBI have a computed tomography (CT) scan of the head and are closely monitored in the intensive care unit (ICU). Treatments for moderate to severe TBI range from medical treatment to surgery. After recovering first in the hospital's intensive care unit (ICU), TBI patients with disabilities receive rehabilitation treatment (treatment to help a person regain as much function as possible). Our individualized treatment programs include: The prognosis (how well doctors expect you to recover from a disease or injury) is different for each person with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Approximately 50 percent of patients with severe head injuries need surgery to remove or repair hematomas (ruptured blood vessels) or contusions (bruised brain tissue). Patients may have disabilities after a TBI. Disabilities mean that patients aren't … Continue reading →

At NRI, we use the term dual diagnosis to describe the victim of a brain injury who is also struggling with substance abuse and addiction. Studies show that substance abuse is a key factor in more than a third of the accidents that result in a traumatic brain injuryand the use of alcohol or drugs prior to the injury often results in complications that require specialized treatment in a facility qualified to treat dual diagnosis patients. NRI is such a facility. Most individuals who were addicted to alcohol or drugs prior to their brain injury continue to experience substance abuse issues during their recovery. Other individuals may become addicted to pain medications as a result of their injury. Substance abuse and addiction not only pose special mental health concerns for people who have experienced brain trauma, they pose substantial impediments to recovery as well. As a facility uniquely capable of treating traumatic brain injury patients with dual diagnosis, NRI offers a non-judgmental and supportive environment that specifically addresses the challenges of recovery faced by those who are also struggling with alcohol or drug abuse. Our approach is based on respect for the dignity of the patients we serve and the … Continue reading →

Articles OnConcussion Concussion Concussion The most common and least serious type of traumatic brain injury is called a concussion. The word comes from the Latin concutere, which means "to shake violently." According to the CDC, between 2001 and 2009, an estimated 173,285 people under age 19 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for concussions related to sports and recreation activities. Other causes include car and bicycle accidents, work-related injuries, falls, and fighting. How can you tell if you have had a concussion? Is it always serious? And what should you do if you have a concussion? Here are answers to some important questions about concussions. As seen in countless Saturday morning cartoons, a concussion is most often caused by a sudden direct blow or bump to the head. The brain is made of soft tissue. It's cushioned by spinal fluid and encased in the protective shell of the skull. When you sustain a concussion, the impact can jolt your brain. Sometimes, it literally causes it to move around in your head. Traumatic brain injuries can cause bruising, damage to the blood vessels, and injury to the nerves. The result? Your brain doesn't function normally. If you've suffered a concussion, vision … Continue reading →

Yoked Prism Glasses or Ambient Lenses - Concussion Recovery Treatment for Double Vision, etc. What is Vision Therapy for Concussions, TBI Brain Injury, Lazy Eye, Eye Tracking, etc. Some children and adults who have suffered a significant traumatic brain injury (TBI), such as concussions complain about eye or vision symptoms. [See video of post-concussion patient who was unable to see to read or drive after her accident] Alyssa was an Honors high school and Dean's List college student whose reading and handwriting skills dropped to a primary school level after her concussion. Through visual rehabilitation, I have reclaimed huge tracts of my life. I drive, shop, work around the house, help others around their homes, eat, and read with pleasure. [More] Vision therapy has helped Justin academically and physically, ... areas that had suffered after his concussion and TBI from the car accident. [More] When I received Vision Therapy, it was like a door that was closed in my life was opened. [More] With all the well-meaning therapies I received, Dr. X's Vision Therapy approach was by far the most productive one with impressive results. [More] Every day I notice the changes Vision Therapy has wrought. Other stroke patients remark … Continue reading →

What is a traumatic brain injury? A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can range from a mild concussion to a severe head injury. It is caused by a blow to the head or body, a wound that breaks through the skull (such as from a gunshot), a fall, or another injury that jars or shakes the brain. This can cause bruising, swelling, or tearing of brain tissue. With rest, most people fully recover from a mild brain injury. But some people who have had a severe or repeated brain injury may have long-lasting problems with movement, learning, or speaking. Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury range from mild to severe and can last for hours, days, weeks, or even months. These symptoms may include: If you develop these kinds of symptoms at any time after a head injury-even much later-call your doctor. You may need another person to watch you closely to make sure that your symptoms aren't getting worse. Follow your doctor's instructions about how long you need someone to stay with you. The doctor will ask you questions about the injury. He or she may ask questions that test your ability to pay attention, learn, remember, and solve problems. … Continue reading →