Traumatic Brain Injury

What is a traumatic brain injury?

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the function of the brain. Not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI. The severity of such an injury may range from “mild,” — a brief change in mental status or consciousness—to “severe”, an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia after the injury. A TBI can result in short or long-term problems with independent function.

What causes TBI?

The leading causes of TBI are:
• Bullets, fragments, blasts
• Falls
• Motor vehicle-traffic crashes
• Assaults
Blasts are a leading cause of TBI for active duty military personnel in war zones.

Who is at highest risk for TBI?

• Males are about 1.5 times as likely as females to sustain a TBI
• Military duties increase the risk of sustaining a TBI

Symptoms of mild TBI or Concussion

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Excessive fatigue (tiredness)
• Concentration problems
• Forgetting things
(memory problems)
• Irritability
• Sleep problems
• Balance problems
• Ringing in the ears
• Vision change

Recovery from TBI:

• Get plenty of sleep at night and rest during the day.
• Return to normal activities gradually, not all at once.
• Until you are better, avoid activities
that can lead to a second brain injury such as contact or recreational sports. Remember to use helmets and safety belts to decrease your risk of having a second brain injury.
• Don’t drink alcohol; it may slow your brain recovery and it puts you at risk of further injury.
• If it’s harder to remember things, write them down.
• If you find you are losing important items, begin putting them in the same place all the time.
• If you are easily distracted or having difficulty concentrating, try doing only one thing at a time in a quiet, non-distracting environment.
• If you feel irritable, then remove yourself from the situation that’s
irritating you or use relaxation techniques
to help manage the situation. Irritability is worse when you are tired, so rest will help.
• Be patient! Healing from a brain injury takes time.

Symptoms of mild TBI or concussion often resolve within hours to days and almost always improve over 1 – 3 months. However, if symptoms persist without improvement, medical treatment should be sought.

This fact sheet is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of your physician. Consult your doctor regularly about matters concerning your health, particularly regarding symptoms that require diagnosis or immediate medical attention

 

Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC)

http://www.dvbic.org

The mission of the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC) is to serve active duty military, their dependents and veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) through state-of-the-art medical care, innovative clinical research initiatives and educational programs.

 

DCoE Outreach Center

24-hour outreach center to provide information and referrals to military service members, veterans, their families and others with questions about psychological health and traumatic brain injury. The new center, which is operated by the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE), can be contacted around the clock, 365 days a year, by phone at 866-966-1020 and by e-mail at resources@dcoeoutreach.org.

 

America's Heroes at Work

America's Heroes at Work is a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) project that focuses on the employment challenges of returning service members living with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and/or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Designed for employers and the workforce development system, America's Heroes at Work is your link to information and tools to help returning service members affected by TBI and/or PTSD succeed in the workplace - particularly service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

Arkansas Department of Health - TBI Program

Referrals of persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) to possible case management. Provides information to policy makers and advocacy groups and documents the incidence of traumatic head injuries as well as the functional outcomes and the need of coordinated services.

501-280-4776

 

Brain Injury Association of Arkansas

http://www.brainassociation.org

The mission of the Brain Injury Association of Arkansas is to improve the quality of life of persons with brain injuries, their families and to develop and programs to prevent brain injury.

The Brain Injury Association of Arkansas is working with numerous organizations to conduct an assessment of needs and services to individuals with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Results of the survey will be used to develop a strategic plan for better coordination of existing services and to assist organizations that serve individuals with a TBI in their planning. Feedback from brain injury survivors and family members is urgently needed.

Arkansas TBI Needs Assessment

If you are a survivor or the caregiver for a survivor, please consider providing the information needed for the BIAA Registry. If you do, the BIAA will provide the survivor with a free BIAA membership for a year.

Brain Injury Association of Arkansas Survivor's On-line Registry

Provider Resource Assessment