6-8-2018

Traumatic Brain Injury TBI

You may imagine that TBI is an issue that concerns young adults who suffer athletic injuries and soldiers who receive blows in active duty. You don’t have to be a sportsperson to get TBI, although multiple TBI’s will manifest as classic Alzheimer’s symptoms.  In the elderly, there is a concern of TBI as a result of falls, auto accidents, penetrating wounds, and sports activities as well. Neurogenesis will be slower if you are older. The most important thing is to avoid getting a TBI again. You can be your own worst enemy  

When people have TBI the traumatic injuries don’t just go away. Long-term, if you are a younger person with TBI, you can recover fairly completely over time. If you have good relationships with people close to you, avoid alcohol, and take care of yourself through diet and exercise you will have a good improvement. People tend to isolate when they experience TBI which causes a downward spiral of depression. Having a purpose in life, many times this being work and relationships, gives you a new perspective and drive to get up in the morning.

Many accidents can result in head trauma and a concussion also known as TBI. It can have either have temporary or long term effects. Symptoms will appear immediately; other than neck and head pain, people will experience a brief loss of consciousness, nausea, dizziness, sleeplessness or oversleep, loss of balance, and a range of emotions such as anger, guilt remorse, and self-pity. More severe symptoms may be inability to awaken, clear fluids draining from nose or ears, weakness, numbness of toes, slurred speech or a coma. On the most severe end of the spectrum - suicide ideation, altered consciousness, brain death, seizures, and hydrocephalus (water on the brain).

Several alternative treatments that are not as conventional may help recovery from TBI. Smoking marijuana decreases brain inflammation according to the latest psychiatric literature. TBI causes brain inflammation and resulting cognitive issues. Other than time, good self-care combined with brain-training, perhaps sanitizing your sleep habits can prove to be the most effective way to recover from TBI. Sometimes people will go to a combination psychiatrist and neurologist for comprehensive treatment, addressing emotional, biological and physical issues at the same time. The neurologist typically conducts a sleep study. The end effect can be uninterrupted sleep with the help of a CPAP – a little rectangular box with a cord that plugs in near the bedside and headgear that slips over your head and tubes which slip into your nostrils. After some practice, in most cases you will sleep really well. You get more oxygenation, you wake up more refreshed, and these things improve cognition and recovery.

TBI in summary, is a treatable condition, even if someone shoots you in the head. People get through it. DLBGYD - Don’t let the bastards get you down, it’s an Army saying.