Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
WHAT IS TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY?
Traumatic Brain Injury: Any injury to the brain caused by an external force
If you have been injured in military training or in a deployment setting, by such mechanisms as Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blasts, Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG), mortar or heavy artillery, of if you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, fall, sports injury, or training incident resulting in a blow or force to your head, you may be struggling with the affects of TBI.
Common symptoms include, but are not limited to:
- Visual disturbance – hard to read, focus, see clear images
- Headache – which can be dull or migraine variety – with nausea and vision issues
- Photophobia – difficulty processing bright lights
- Memory issues – recent, short term, or long term issues
- Processing – difficulties with new information or problem solving
- Emotional issues – swings such as depression, anger, or listlessness
- Balance issues – including difficulties with coordination, walking, running, and dizziness or vertigo
These symptoms need to be evaluated by a professional at the VA as part of TBI screening or at a health care practitioner treating TBI.
Treatment
Treatment includes retraining with a TBI team of experts, including physical medicine specialist, speech pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, job coaches and social workers as well as vocational trainers and job coaches. Treatment could also include instruction on use of electronic devices for better retrieval and management of information. GPS systems, computers and PDAs are crucial to the activities of daily living for patients sustaining mild traumatic brain injuries. There is also a dramatic upside - including compliance and effectiveness - in using mobile applications to monitor medications.
TBI Screening Tools
There are several screening tools for Traumatic Brain Injury. These are most utilized:
- ImPACT (sports TBI inquiry developed by University of Pittsburgh Medical Center)
- ANAM – developed by the US Department of Defense
- MACE – Military acute concussion evaluation – Department of Defense