MTBI Definition: A patient with mild traumatic brain injury is a person who has had a traumatically induced physiological disruption of brain function, as manifested by at least one of the following:
Any period of loss of consciousness.
Any loss of memory for events immediately before or after the accident.
Any alteration in mental state at the time of the accident (e.g., feeling dazed, disoriented, or confused).
Focal neurological deficit's that may or may not be transient.
(This definition appears in a recent issue of the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation)
Even though the term to describe a brain injury is "mild", the injury itself is not mild. It can be life changing and throws lives into turmoil. When people are unable to function at pre-injury levels, medical bills continue to grow and available resources begin to dwindle.
Every year thousands of people in Colorado suffer mild/moderate brain injuries. The cause may be an auto accident, sports injury or a simple fall, but the effects can be devastating. Up to 30% of the people who suffer from a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) can have permanent damage.
Symptoms of a MTBI may include:
Headaches
Vision problems
Sleep disturbances and extreme fatigue
Sensitivity to light and sound
Inability to organize thoughts and activities
Disorientation
Concentration and attention problems
Slowed thinking and forgetfulness
Language and spelling difficulty
Loss of sense of self
Brain Activity Diagram The below picture is showing brain activity 5 days after a brain injury. As you can see there is not much of a difference between the mild and severe head injury (#1 and #2). There is a lot of 'red and yellow' on the normal brain scan(#3), but only a little dab of yellow and green on the mild brain injury (#1). (Note: You want more red and yellow verses green/blue).
-Picture from Bergsneider et al., 2001
1) Mild Head Injury
2) Severe Head Injury
3) Normal
BIHF Brochure
The Brain Injury Hope Foundation provides educational awareness, financial assistance, and inspiration to help those who've experienced a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Read the brochure for more information about the Brain Injury Hope Foundation.
Copyright 2009-2012 Brain Injury Hope Foundation Brain Injury Hope Foundation, Post Office Box 1319, Boulder, CO 80306 Tel. 303-484-2126
