Recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury Outline
I. Introduction
A. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an important public health issue in the United States. B. TBI is caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain C. TBI is generally categorized as mild, moderate or severe.
II. Define Terms A. Most TBIs are mild TBI (MTBI) B. Moderate brain injury is often diagnosed well after the injury, as other apparent injuries can mask the symptoms. C. Severe brain injury is defined as a brain injury resulting in a loss of consciousness of greater than 6 hours. III. Details of the problems and solutions to them. A. The victim with mild traumatic brain injury (concussion) may not need extensive cognitive rehabilitation, though he or she may display problems with memory, emotions, and behavior. Mild traumatic brain injuries usually require no treatment other than rest and over-the-counter pain relievers to treat a headache. However, a person with a mild traumatic brain injury usually needs to be monitored closely at home for any persistent, worsening or new symptoms. He or she also may have follow-up doctor appointments.
B. The symptoms of moderate brain injury are often not as obvious as the symptoms of more severe brain injuries. In many cases, the symptoms are vague yet unsettling. The patient may look and even act fine, but doesn’t feel quite like himself or herself. The prognosis for moderate brain injury is good, with most patients recovering most or all of brain function. Emergency care for moderate traumatic brain injuries focuses on making sure the person has an adequate oxygen and blood supply,