Articles Posted in Brain and Head Injury

Brain injuries are amongst the most debilitating injuries that one can receive, and they can be received through a variety of different forces. Brain injuries that happen after birth are categorized as traumatic brain injuries and acquired brain injuries. Victims of severe brain injuries are usually handicapped for life, having to rely on their loved ones to help them do things that you and I might consider second nature.

Victims of brain damage are not completely helpless. Many survivors are able to perform tasks and overcome obstacles that their doctor’s would have thought were impossible under the victim’s circumstance. A positive attitude and a passion to live life to its fullest have proven to be powerful allies for those adjusting to their new lifestyle.

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

If you received brain damage resulting from a head injury, chances are that it would be categorized as a traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries are usually caused by a direct blow to the head, where the force of the blow can break through the skull and damage the soft brain tissue. This type of TBI can be caused by:
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Living independently as a senior is a risky endeavor, but many feel that the chances of suffering a serious brain injury is worth living out the remainder of their lives on their own terms. Many families don’t want their grandparents put into nursing homes, which is completely warranted considering the constant barrage of news pertaining to elder abuse, but they are burdened with the knowledge that their family member could fall victim to their aging body. If this is your situation, you may have more protective power than you think; informing your loved one of common hazards and how to avoid them could save their lives.

In the U.S., 1.4 million people sustain a serious head injury every year. Seniors are particularly susceptible, which explains why adults over 75-years-old have the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and deaths than any other group. With proper precautions, some of these falls and head injuries could have been avoided.
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Trying to keep your kids from suffering a brain injury is a daunting task. Every parent knows that trying to keep your child from hitting their head is like trying to save money at Disneyland. Bumps and bruises are ok — they’re a part of growing up — but knowing the difference between a love tap and a serious head injury is a vital piece of information for anyone, especially mom and dad.

According to the Franklin Institute, Data from more than 2,300 hospitalized patients of all ages indicate that gender and age influence the outcome of serious brain injury. For children under ten years old, young girls were found to be four-times more likely to die from brain damage than boys. Although most children recover mental abilities quickly, “These kids have incredible learning deficits even when the IQ returns to normal,” said Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman, a University of Texas Neurologist. Responding to your child’s head injury in a quick and effective manner could make all the difference in the world.

Steps to Prevent Brain Trauma

In addition to calling, if you child exhibits any of the following symptoms they should be evaluated by a healthcare provider. The evaluation will determine if there is serious brain trauma and what kind of treatment your child may need.
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With a new year comes a new discovery that may prove to be invaluable for brain injury victims. For years researchers have suspected that males and females may experience concussions in different ways, and they seem to have been on to something. A report, which will appear in the January issue of the Journal of Athletic Training, documents that symptoms experienced by female athletes differ from those of males, and it could have led to countless misdiagnoses.

The study consisted of more than 800 high-school athletes who suffered a head injury in nine different sports over two years. The female athlete’s symptoms, the report cautioned, could also lead sports-medicine staff members to attribute them to a different condition. The apparent lack of knowledge on the subject has left parents feeling helpless; how can you protect your kids when misdiagnoses have been the standard of care?
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Suffering from a debilitating head injury is a serious threat for seniors today. Since many of our elders would rather live independently, they are more prone to catastrophic injury accidents, leaving many seniors bruised and broken in an attempt to live out their days on their own terms. A very respectable battle, considering the mistreatment that many seniors face once they check into nursing homes, but with an aging body and no one to assist, a recipe for disaster can sometimes boil over. Staying alert and informed so that you or your loved one may recognize a hazardous area or situation could prevent a tragic brain injury.

The most common cause of traumatic brain injury in the elderly are falls (accounting for 61% of all TBIs in adults aged 65 and older). These falls can be very serious. In fact, seniors who fall are 4 to 5 times more likely than any other group to be admitted to a long-term care facility for a year or more.
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Suffering a head injury could be a life-altering event, or a funny story you tell at the office Christmas party, the line that separates the two is thin. Understanding, and being able to implement, the following guidelines may prove to be an invaluable tool if you or a loved one is struck in the head. Due to head injuries being a routine occurrence, it is not unusual for someone who suffers brain trauma to downplay the severity of the situation, increasing the likelihood of permanent damage as a result of non-treatment.

Head injury is a general term used to describe brain trauma but can also incorporate other types of head traumas. A person suffering from a serious head injury could experience contusions (bruising of the brain tissue), a hematoma (blood clot), intracranial hemorrhage (bleeding from the vessels within the brain or its covering), or edema (swelling). Symptoms and effects resulting from head injuries vary and can easily go unnoticed.
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