Monthly Archives: August 2005
Traumatic Brain Injury: The Invisible Injury
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is not like any other injury. Sadly, because many of the symptoms of “mild” to “moderate” traumatic brain injury are subtle, and because the injury commonly avoids detection on our most sophisticated hospital imaging equipment, it is common for victims to go undiagnosed. This is especially so in the emergency room.
Traumatic Brain Injury Resources
Alabama Head Injury
http://www.ahif.org/
AHIF assists family and friends to help understand the results of brain injury.
Help for Families and Care Givers
“My husband used to be so calm. But after his injury, he started to explode over the littlest things. He didn’t even know he had changed.”
Choosing a TBI Lawyer: The Scarlett Law Group
Few of us realize how pervasive the law is in our lives until we get into a dispute with someone else. Then we are amazed to discover what a tangled web of law there is, and how complex and endless the rules seem.
Concussion in Sports
Concussion is defined as a traumatically induced alteration in mental status, not necessarily with loss of consciousness, and is a common form of sports-related injury.
Economic Losses in TBI Cases
If you or a family member has sustained a traumatic brain injury, the chances are you already have first hand experience of the overwhelming financial burden that these injuries cause.
Organic Brain Injury and/or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Emotional distress following a traumatic brain injury can be both real and debilitating. Often times, severe emotional distress will mimic many of the characteristics of organic brain dysfunction. It is the treatment that differs in each case, however.
Treatment/Rehabilitative Team
Survivors of traumatic brain injury are likely to receive hospital and rehabilitative care from a wide range of professionals. Indeed, a multi-disciplinary treatment and rehabilitative approach is justified in cases of traumatic brain injury. A very brief summary of the role each professional may play follows. Note, however, that the needs of each patient are unique, and many of the following specialists may not therefore be required. Likewise, still other patients may require the services of orthopedics, otolaryngologists, and others, not discussed below.
Common Testing: Will it Help With TBI Diagnosis?
Family members, as well as victims, often learn of various tests purportedly administered following traumatic brain injury. Whether the tests were administered in a given case, and whether positive results were found, may not conclusively establish, nor rule out, the existence of brain injury. Nonetheless, brief description of common tests follows:
Biomechanics of Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury or a closed head injury can occur when the head is subjected to a direct external impact. Likewise, injury can occur when the head is subjected to a sudden acceleration and then is suddenly stopped. A sudden acceleration/deceleration often follows a violent flexion – extension movement of the head. This response is extremely common in rear-end vehicle collisions.
