RICHMOND, Va. -- March is National Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month, a time dedicated to increasing understanding of brain injuries and their impact on millions of Americans each year. As a Level I Trauma Center and leader in neurological and neurosurgical care, VCU Health plays a critical role in caring for patients with serious brain injuries. In this segment, Dr. Aarti Sarwal shares what you need to know about recognizing and preventing traumatic brain injuries.
What happens to the brain when someone experiences a traumatic brain injury, and how does VCU Health evaluate them?
When you have traumatic brain injury from a jolt, blow or a penetrating trauma, there is injury to the brain cells which could be temporary disruption or complete damage to the brain, resulting in brain swelling. Your symptoms could range from vertigo, dizziness, weakness, speech problems, and confusion to life threatening and limb threatening brain swelling.
VCU Health is home to Virginia's largest 28-bed neurocritical care unit with multispecialty care around the clock that takes care of advanced, traumatic and spinal cord brain injury with advanced neuro-monitoring techniques. These are important to monitor complex patients.
If someone has a head injury, what are some of the warning signs they may notice? When is time to seek medical attention right away?
If somebody has been in a situation where they think they might have traumatic brain injury, these can be important warning signs that you need to seek emergency care, even if you don't feel unwell:
· Severe or recurrent headache
· Vomiting
· Seizures
· Impaired speech
· Inability to wake up or stay awake during conversation
· Inability to speak or understand
· Inability to move your arms or legs
Clear drainage from the nose or ears can be an emergent sign that you need to seek emergency care. VCU Health has access to 24/7 specialists, which can take good care of you right away irrespective of the severity of injury you have.
What types of long-term neurological effects can someone with a traumatic brain injury have, and how do you guide that long-term recovery?
Long-term side effects of traumatic brain injury can range –mental deficits like drowsiness, severe chronic headaches, seizures, brain fog and cognitive disability that keeps you from doing the work that you were doing before. You can have mood swings, depression, anxiety and various side effects. You can also have neurodegenerative disorders, long term, with Parkinson's-like symptoms or dementia-like symptoms. VCU thankfully has access to acute brain injury specialists and acute traumatic spinal cord injury rehab specialists, a rare feat to have both in the same center, that can
provide you access to facilities and medical professionals that can help you on this long-term recovery.
What steps can communities take to help prevent traumatic brain injuries?
Prevention is the key. For elderly who are predisposed to risk of falls, provide an environment where falls would not result in injurious consequences. For other people participating in adventurous activities or risky activities, avoiding the activities is a definite preventative strategy. But if you're in sports or adventurous activities, taking safe practices like helmets and following regulations would be a key prevention. While driving, use seatbelts, don’t speed and avoid distracted driving. Keep your full attention on the road. Prevention can reduce the burden on acute healthcare systems by reducing the severity of traumatic brain injury that needs intensive care and long-term rehab.
