mild traumatic brain injury information for returning service members
TRANSCRIPT
Mild Traumatic Brain InjuryInformation for Returning
Service Members
What do They Have In Common?
• Ryan Church-New York Mets outfielder
• George Clooney- actor/director
• Ben Roethlisberger-Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback
• Mike Wallace-journalist
Answer: • They have had one or more
mild traumatic brain injuries (concussions)
• They received medical and rehabilitation help and support
• They returned to work
What is Traumatic Brain Injury?
“…..is caused by a blow to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the
normal function of the brain. Not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI. The
severity of a TBI may range from “mild,”
a brief change in mental status or consciousness to “severe,” an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia
after injury”Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Mild Brain Injury is the most common type of Brain Injury among civilians
and service members
• About 80% of all civilian traumatic brain injuries are mild (CDC 2009)
• An estimated 11-20% of service members sustained a mild TBI/concussion while serving in OEF/OIF (US Army Surgeon General 2008, Hoge, et. al. 2008, Taneilian and Jaycox 2008)
Causes
• Civilians; Falls, Motor vehicle accidents, assaults, struck by/against events (CDC 2009)
• Service Members (injured in combat); Blast exposure, gunshot wounds, falls and motor vehicle accidents (Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center 2009)
Question: Does a person always get
“knocked out” or loose consciousness when they
have a brain injury?
Answer: No!!
They may however experience a period of
feeling dazed, they may look fine, but their brains have
been knocked “off line” and are unable to lay down new
memories
For Example…..
“That first morning, wow, I didn’t want to move, I was thankful that nothing’s
broken, but my brain was all scrambled”
Ryan Church, New York Times 3/10/08
“All he remembers from the collision with Anderson is the aftermath, being
helped off the field by two people, although he said he did not know who
they were until he saw a photograph later” Ben Shpigel New York Times reporter
Signs of Mild Traumatic brain Injury
Early Signs• confusion
• blank staring
• decreased response time for directions and/or answering questions
• dizziness/sensitivity to light and/or sound
• vomiting
• headache
• nauseaBIAA, Brain Injury Source Summer 2000, Vol.4, Issue 2, 30-37
For many, the symptoms go away within hours or days.
If they do not and/or an individual gets another mild traumatic brain injury they may experience additional
symptoms….
Signs of Mild Traumatic brain Injury
Late Signs• Persistent headache• Poor attention• Irritability/aggression• Hearing problems• Ringing in the ears• Restlessness• Depressed mood
• Decreased memory• Sleep disturbances• Fatigue and anxiety• Blurry vision/visual
problems• Lightheadedness• Difficulty making
decisionsBIAA, Brain Injury Source Summer 2000, Vol.4, Issue 2, 30-37
When to seek help...If things that have always come easily
to you, are harder, take longer, especially if your ability to multi-task is
not what it was prior to the incident
and/or
your family, friends, fellow soldiers or superiors comment negatively on
performance of duties, your responsiveness to new situations and
ability to communicate.
Per Army Behavioral Health, individuals concerned about
lingering symptoms can...• Speak to a chaplain• Go to their installation Department of
Behavioral Health or Community or Division Mental Health (www.behavioralhealth.army.mil) as well as...
• Thoroughly respond to the questions asked in the Post-Deployment Health Assessment (PDHA). Several items screen for possible traumatic brain injury
The Good News, with treatment and time the brain
can heal!
Suggested services/strategies may
include...• Consultation with a neurologist and or a
neuropsychologist• Work with a speech, occupational, and or
physical therapist as recommended by medical personnel
• Scheduling breaks/down time• Minimize alcohol intake as it can depress brain
cell growth/regeneration after injury• Follow physician's recommendations for
physical exercise-it supports brain health
Resources• Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center 1-800-870-
9244 www.dvbic.org. Check out video Survive, Thrive & Alive on brain injury and treatment and recovery of several injured service members.
• Brain Injury Association of America 703-236-6000, www.biausa.org
• Brain Injury Association of Maryland 410-448-2924, www.biamd.org
• Ohio Valley Center For Brain Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation, 614-293-3802, www.ohiovalley.org.
• www.headinjury.com. Good resource for memory aides and tips
A Product of the Maryland TBI Partnership Implementation Project, a
collaborative effort between the Maryland Mental Hygiene Administration, the
Mental Health Management Agency of Frederick County and the
Howard County Mental Health Authority2006-2009
Support is provided in part by project H21MC06759 from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (title V, Social Security
Act), Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Service
This is in the public domain. Please duplicate and distribute widely
