Traumatic Brain Injury 101
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), also known as an intracranial injury, can be deadly. Trauma, in medical terms, refers to a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, either from violence or accident. In some cases, a foreign object or an external force (e.g., a bullet) enters the cranial area, possibly penetrating the skull and causing damage to specific brain parts.
Each year, an estimated 1.7 million hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and deaths related to TBI occur in the United States alone. Furthermore, TBIs contribute a significant number of permanent disability cases according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with over 52,000 deaths and 275,000 hospitalizations reported annually. Around 1.4 million or 80 percent of people who sustained TBI were treated and released from an emergency department.
Symptoms vary depending on the part of the brain that is damaged and may not appear for up to several days post-injury. Depending on the extent of trauma, people who suffer from TBI may lose consciousness for a few minutes or even up to several days. More severe head injuries result in coma, paralysis or even a vegetative state. Some people also experience temporary amnesia directly after the injury.
Other symptoms to watch out for include headaches, blurred vision, seizures, dizziness, and confusion. While the severity of TBI cases varies, the long-term effects are often life-changing. It is always best to consult San Joaquin medical professionals if you have questions.
San Joaquin medical professionals who specialize in treating TBI advise patients and their families to watch out for short-term and long-term changes that affect memory, thinking, sensation and speech, as well as emotional changes which could result in depression, anxiety, personality changes, aggression and socially inappropriate behavior. In addition, TBI can also cause epilepsy and increase the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Treatment for TBIs starts when a patient is admitted to a hospital or a San Joaquin medical center. To prevent the patient’s condition from worsening, doctors unblock the airways to maintain blood flow to the brain. Doctors will likewise administer antibiotics and close open wounds to prevent infections. Once the patient is stable, doctors will then take CT and MRI scans or x-rays to assess the level of brain damage.
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