A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can range from minor (concussions) to severe. While concussions are the most common type of TBI and most concussion victims make a full recovery, those who sustain severe head injuries often face long recoveries and may end up with permanent disabilities.
A traumatic brain injury causes damage to the brain’s tissue and cells (neurons). This injury disrupts the brain’s ability to function normally – sometimes resulting in dizziness, trouble with memory, or difficulty concentrating. An individual show sustains a severe brain injury may lose the ability to perform basic daily tasks.
Head injury specialists, neurologists, and other researchers warn of certain risk factors associated with traumatic brain injuries. Certain groups of people may be more at risk for concussions or more severe brain injuries. Medical experts also warn against the misconceptions of head injuries, such as the old adage of shaking off a concussion or playing through the pain. It is important that we dispel the myths of TBI while also taking a closer look at who is most at risk for these types of injuries.
Dispelling Common Myths about Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Myth: Recovery after a TBI is consistent and limited – Most recovery after a moderate to severe brain injury is gradual or progressive. Weeks of large gains may be followed by plateau periods or even slight regressions. Previously, experts believed recovery only lasted 12 months and then levelled off. However, new evidence tells us that recovering TBI patients may keep realizing gains for 2-3 years. Patients and family members should persevere through any discouraging times, as they are only temporary and long-range progress is still possible even after several months.
- Myth: Concussions are caused by a direct blow to the head – Concussions (mild TBI) are also caused by shockwaves or abrupt forces like a rapid acceleration and/or deceleration. The head can be subjected to a “whiplash” effect if a football player is hit from multiple angles or in certain car accidents. Strong forces act on the brain – causing the tissue to ripple and contort, almost like a wet, delicate sponge. Even if a direct blow or “bump” to the head doesn’t occur, brain tissue may be injured as it rebounds or ripples inside the skull. Certain types of injury can tear and strain neurons and impair cellular function.
- Myth: Concussions in children are not a big deal – While most children and young athletes who sustain concussions should make a full recovery, it’s not ok to discount the matter. Serious damage and long-term effects can result if a child’s brain is not given adequate time to heal after a head injury. Recent research has found that a child with mild TBI can be more prone to emotional and psychological difficulties later on in life. New research is also showing us that mild TBI in children can have long-term consequences. Coaches and parents must pull a child from active play any time a concussion is suspected and the child should be evaluated by a medical professional.
- Myth: Mild TBI is only temporary – While a full recovery after a concussion is likely, the brain is still highly susceptible to more serious damage while the damaged tissue is healing. Anyone who experiences even a mild concussion should be removed from sports and must rest – avoiding screen time, television, and mentally taxing activities. If the brain is not given adequate time to heal properly, long-term problems may develop. Between 15% and 25% of those who sustain a concussion tend to experience permanent or chronic symptoms such as headaches or mood imbalance.
- Myth: Concussions are obvious and easily recognized – Some concussions do not manifest as obvious symptoms such as balance problems, confusions, or a loss of consciousness. Athletes who sustain a mild concussion may just feel slightly winded or foggy, but then return to play right after a brain injury and place themselves at risk for second-impact syndrome or other serious damage. In some concussion cases, symptoms may not manifest until several hours after the injury. Dizziness may be followed by severe headaches hours later. Common symptoms of a mild concussion may include headaches, dizziness, abnormal urge to sleep, nausea, and confusion/disorientation. In any case where a possible concussion is suspected, an athlete should discontinue play and medical attention should be sought out.
Groups Most at Risk for Traumatic Brain Injuries
Certain risk factors make a few groups of people, particularly children and teenagers as well as the elderly, more prone to concussions and more serious brain injuries. According to the Mayo Clinic, the age groups who face the greatest risks of sustaining a traumatic brain injury include: young children – ages 0 to 4 years old, adolescents / young adults – between ages 15 and 24, and older adults ages 75 and above.
According to the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) kids and adolescents are more at risk for TBI due to regular physical play and involvement in sports, games, and play activities like biking and skating. Also, babies are more susceptible to injury due to still-developing skulls and balance abilities. Older adults (especially nursing home residents) face a greater risk of head injury due to age-diminished strength, balance, and bone density. Falls are among the most common accidents that lead to death and disability among the elderly – as they commonly result in TBI.
- Close to 22% of all TBI-related hospitalizations involve senior citizens ages 75 and older, with at least 75% of these cases involving nursing home residents
- Roughly 50% of all TBI cases involve alcohol use, either by the victim or person responsible for the injury
- Nearly 30,000 children become permanently disabled each year as a result of traumatic brain injuries
- Males make up the majority of patients diagnosed and treated for TBI (59%)
- About 18% of all TBI-related emergency department visits involve small children ages 0 to 4
- 5,300,000 people in the US, (nearly 2% of the population) lives with disabilities resulting from brain injuries
- Elderly adults ages 75 and older have the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalization and death over any other age group
- Direct medical costs and indirect costs (lost productivity) of traumatic brain injuries cost society nearly $60 billion annually
References:
Health Communities- https://www.healthcommunities.com/traumatic-brain-injury/risk-factors.shtml
Avvo.com- https://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/top-10-myths-about-traumatic-brain-injury
Medscape – https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/326510-overview
Mayo Clinic – https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/traumatic-brain-injury/basics/risk-factors/CON-20029302
