Until
recently, head injuries were often overlooked and not treated. With a
head
injury there are many emotional, physical and cognitive
consequences.
Learning to have more patience and compassion is the key to
understanding
someone with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Becoming educated on the
topic
instead of making assumptions is vitally important.
There are
two types of brain injury. Open head injury
is when the skull
is penetrated, such as a gunshot wound or external trauma that gashes
the
head open. Closed head injury is when the head has suffered
trauma
from the brain moving around inside the skull due to an external force.
The skull is not penetrated with a closed head injury. Closed head
injuries
can be caused by a blow to the head, whiplash & abuse. There are
many
other ways a person can sustain a head injury.
Many doctors
are now finding out that a traumatic brain injury is just
that...nothing
less, nothing more. It is the same no matter how it was acquired. The
analogy
of a rose is a rose, no matter what you call it, sums up the reality of
brain injury.
Many people
who suffer from TBI initially experience head and neck pain, being
disoriented
& memory loss. A few weeks later is when other symptoms appear. See
the list of these symptoms on the Common Consequences page. A person
can
look quite normal, yet they have many problems with TBI. It is a lot
for
the patient to relearn things and difficult for them to understand.
They
need loving and supportive family and friends to help them through this
ordeal. Even friends and family have a tough time understanding. I hope
my pages and links help with learning
to
live
with TBI.
Letting a
head injury go untreated can have damaging results. Permanent damage
from
head injury does NOT require that a person be unconscious for any
length
of time. Every year more than a million Americans suffer from head
trauma.
TBI is one of the most undiagnosed situations in our country today.
People
with TBI are not stupid, ignorant or senile. It is ridiculous to
say they are not normal. What is normal anyhow? Standards of decency
set
up by each individual of their own beliefs is defining "normal".
Common
Consequences Of TBI
Diagnosing
TBI
Treating
TBI
Rehabilitation
Living
With Someone Who Has TBI
Finding
An Attorney
Links
To Other Web Sites
This page
maintained by
Belle
©1998-2007