Traumatic Brain Injury In The United States

The leading causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries are falls, motor vehicle accidents, struck by or against objects, and assaults. The initial

Traumatic brain injuries can vary in their severity. In the case of mild brain injury, full recovery is possible. On the other hand, severe brain injury can be fatal or cause permanent disabilities, the type of which depend on the affected area of the brain. A head injury is usually obvious because of visible wounds to the head. However, the coup-contrecoup brain injury may occur without any exterior damage to the head or skull. The victim may first feel a headache, but because there's no evidence of a head injury, the coup-contrecoup may go undiagnosed and death may occur in a matter of hours or days.

Traumatic brain injury also known as TBI is a primary element of mortality and disability globally. This injury is caused by a strong force, such as a blow to the head. Bob Garrett (2011) addresses that TBIs are the cause of 52,00 deaths each year in the United States. Mishaps are a dominant cause of brain injuries, and many accidents occur when drugs and/or alcohol are related. Information reveals that a large number of people tested positive for consuming alcohol or illegal drugs when being admitted to hospital. Studies also revealed that a great number of traumatic brain injury survivors consumed alcohol before the brain injury. This research analyzes articles on substance abuse before and after a traumatic brain injury.

Results indicated that the primary cause of traumatic brain injuries in adolescents between the ages of 14 to 19 were motor vehicle accidents. Unfortunately, approximately 40% of adolescents diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury admitted into a hospital will decease. Alternatively, the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries in ages 10-13 was falls. Approximately 71% of inpatient care for traumatic brain injuries were for males younger than 17 years of age. A consideration for all age groups is that although a cranial injury due to firearms occurred the least out of all categories, this injury caused the highest rate of

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects 1.7 million people annually in the U.S. with 275,000 hospitalizations and 52,000 deaths. In 2010, the medical cost for treating TBI patients in the U.S. was $76.5 billion and rising annually. Primary causes for TBI include the following: motor vehicle crashes, falls, assaults and sports or recreation-related injuries (concussions). Finding the right treatment to reduce mortality rates and improve the clinical outcomes in TBI patients has been elusive.

Long-term consequences have many different effects. There are four categories that a person with long-term effects may suffer: alteration of consciousness, cognitive difficulties, physical difficulties, and emotional/behavioral difficulties (Bellamy 30). They may have problems thinking, learning, talking, walking, and remembering for the rest of their lives. Any person that has had a brain injury is at risk of

“Traumatic brain injury can result in longterm or lifelong physical, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional consequences” (US Dept. of Health and Human Services, 1998).

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is becoming more prevalent every year, “with an incidence of about 100 to 300 per 100 000” (Konrad et al 2010). Mild traumatic brain injury or concussion can be the result of any minor trauma to the head from accident, sports related injury, blast injury, or fall. “Possible acute symptoms of mTBI comprise short-time unconsciousness, headache, dizziness, irritability, anxiety and impaired neuropsychological functions such as reduced attention, concentration or memory problems” (Evans, 1992; Hall et al. 2005 as cited by Konrad et al 2010). Some people who sustain a mTBI return to base level of function within hours and some take up to two months, there are even those that years later have not fully

Closed head injuries are caused by blunt trauma in which a concussion, contusion, and laceration to the brain may result. The most severe of the closed head injuries is anoxal injury (diffuse type). Diffuse anoxal injury is used related to high speed acceleration/deceleration as with automobile accidents. (Workman, 2006). With this type of injury there is significant damage to the axons in the white matter. Lesions may be found in the corpus callosum, midbrain, cerebellum and upper brainstem. Depending on the severity, small areas of hemorrhage followed by possible enlargement of the lateral ventricles may be detected on CT scan. For severe cases, the majority present in a coma. Survivors usually require long term care.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) has continually garnered concern from the public. Effects of a TBI range from headaches to loss of motor functions in more severe cases. Normally when one hears that term, their first thought is about military personnel in a war zone. Now, that is definitely true; however, military personal are not the only ones who can receive a TBI. Anyone can suffer damage to the brain resulting in a TBI. A person’s head doesn’t even have to come into contact with another object for this to occur.

Over ten million traumatic brain injuries occur throughout the world each year (Kim et. al.). In the United States, there are 3.8 million traumatic brain injuries annually relating to sports injuries, and approximately 10% of military veterans have suffered a traumatic brain injury with persistent symptoms (Tan, Meehan, et. al.). Although traumatic brain injuries are most common in war or athletic injuries, anyone is at risk for a traumatic brain injury from random traumatic events. Traumatic brain injuries are the leading cause of death in individuals under the age of 24, most of which are caused by car accidents. The annual medical costs of traumatic brain injuries are estimated to be $60.4 billion, including $51.2 billion lost each year

The symptoms are a variety of physical, emotional and cognitive incoherence. Some physical symptoms include, headaches, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light or sound, decreasing in coordination or balance, and dilated pupils. Emotional symptoms may be disoriented or dramatic change in moods, and an inability to control emotions. Symptoms in the cognitive spectrum include confusion, lack of concentration, memory loss, trouble speaking or understanding, and recognition issues. These are just a few of many indicators of traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when there is a damage in the brain a result of physical trauma. TBI may be caused by a penetrating (open) head injury, in which an object pierces the skull and enters the brain tissue, or a closed head injury, in which the skull is not breached, and frequently results in the major long-term disability of individuals surviving head injuries.(7) Cranial firearm wounds often result in severe injury to the brain and related central nervous system (CNS) structures.(17). Although penetrating head trauma is less prevalent than closed head trauma, PBI carries a worse prognosis with high morbidity and mortality rates. Understanding of the mechanisms of injury and aggressive medical management with rapid surgical intervention may lead to improved outcomes.(8)

Receiving blunt trauma to the head is a very a dangerous situation and can often lead to critical conditions and death. This essay will be taking an in depth look at a patient who has received trauma and their possible outcome. Utilizing knowledge of mechanisms and patterns of injury, vital signs and patient presentation, a diagnosis of the patient’s condition will be made. Once diagnosed, the pathophysiology of the condition will be explained and also possible injuries from this condition will be explored.

The awareness of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) has increased and the information available is better now than it was in the past. I believe many people are aware of concussions and traumatic brain injuries but not how it can affect their brain. Traumatic Brain injuries are a very complex injury with a broad spectrum of symptoms and disabilities. Many healthcare professionals in the field of brain injury often say, “If you’ve seen one concussion, you’ve seen one concussion.” Even a mild case of a concussion should not be taken lightly. People do not realize the impact it can have on a person and his/her family, it can be devastating. One of the leading causes of Brain Injuries is concussion as this has been brought to light by