Greetings !
According to the Brain Injury Association of America, each year an estimated 2.4 million children and adults in the United States sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and another 795,000 individuals sustain an acquired brain injury (ABI) from non traumatic causes. TBIs can affect the functionality of the brain-affecting thinking, reasoning, and memory. Whether the victim is an adult, a child, or an infant, TBIs can have a major impact on individuals and their families.
March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month.
Confession time…I’ve been off the radar for about three weeks because OOPS, I did it again…
Came off the horse. No helmet. One doesn’t plan to hit the side of her head on metal fence on the way down. Or break an arm or ribs. Nobody does.
Ever heard that saying “Failure to plan is planning to fail”? Busted.
Ok, but stay tuned for my research project on treating a fresh TBI vs. waiting for three months, how convenient is that? I just scored on some new equipment to test in the treatment of TBI and post concussive disorders and I fall on my head, LOL! This is the life of a neuroscience geek.
Really, it is possible to monitor effects and progression of a brain injury no matter when it happened by looking at a quantitative EEG. This stuff doesn’t always show up on a CT or MRI scan. In fact, I was sent home from the hospital with narcotic pain pills and something for nausea from the concussion. And told to rest. But guess what? With vestibular damage, that’s the worst thing you can do, movement is crucial to reintegrate balance. Maybe this all happened for a reason, folks. There’s a story to be told here. Did you know that without intervention, a balance issue may continue to worsen, causing compensatory responses in the brain creating uncomfortable symptoms such as vertigo and dizziness, visual disturbances, imbalance and spatial disorientation, hearing changes, and nausea.
Vestibular damage can also result in cognitive symptoms such as:
- Difficulty concentrating and paying attention; distractibility
- Forgetfulness and short-term memory loss
- Confusion, disorientation, difficulty comprehending directions or instructions
- Difficulty following speakers in conversations, meetings, etc. especially when there is background noise or movement
- Mental and/or physical fatigue out of proportion to activity
Psychological symptoms can also occur such as:
- Loss of self-reliance, self-confidence, self-esteem
- Anxiety, panic, social isolation
- Depression
Why does this matter? Over 35% of people age 40 years and over have vestibular dysfunction, they don’t even realize why they have these symptoms, and the most common cause is HEAD INJURY!
If I had not recently started this project with a physical therapist who specializes in vestibular dysfunction I would have never known about this stuff and continued to suffer from my concussion symptoms, regardless of brain waves, this vestibular thing needs to be addressed as well in order to recover.
So how does one know if they have a balance disorder? Click here for more info
And stay tuned for more information on how neurofeedback and vestibular rehabilitation can work together to help post concussion syndrome by my guest blogger Brian Werner, PT, MPT National Director of Balance Programs for Fyzical, which is where I found help! http://www.fyzical.com
Meanwhile, remember to buckle your seatbelts, wear helmets, and drive safe!
I sound like my dad, LOL! Sometimes fathers DO know best, eh?
Think healthy, eat healthy, and stay well!
Many Blessings,
Becky Bassham
For more information on Neurofeedback visit http://www.edgeneurofitness.com/what-is-neurofeedback/
