Friday, March 21, 2014

The Sensational Word "Traumatic"



Sensationalism happens in media. This may have happened with TBI.


"Traumatic Brain Injury" must have been used in a popular news story or TV program. The term is only used in America, and wasn't used until recently. It has become more frequently used in the last few years.

The BIA's position:  http://www.biausa.org/FAQRetrieve.aspx?ID=43913&A=SearchResult&SearchID=1711888&ObjectID=43913&ObjectType=9

Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is defined as an alteration in brain function, or other evidence of brain pathology, caused by an external force.
Acquired Brain Injury
An acquired brain injury is an injury to the brain, which is not hereditary, congenital, degenerative, or induced by birth trauma. An acquired brain injury is an injury to the brain that has occurred after birth. 

They correctly use it. A TBI or Traumatic Brain Injury, in the medical sense is just one kind of brain injury. There is a "TBI" listed in the literature. "Traumatic" only is a descriptor meaning the injury came from an external force. There's stroke, cancer, and other reasons for a brain injury.

I like the NINDS, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, definition, http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/tbi.htm  "Traumatic brain injury (TBI), a form of acquired brain injury, occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain." There  is no question.

I suspect "TBI" was initially used because of the increase in car accidents. More people were getting brain injuries.


I just say brain injury. When I say I have both it's because I had a stroke while driving. Initially everyone blamed the car accident, TBI, but come to find out, the stroke had been going on, ABI. Try and get a neurologist to volunteer to testify.... When the court finally determined the ABI was first, it was all made a pre-existing condition. Nothing was covered by workman's comp.

That's personal. What about the people around me? I'm not their doctor and I don't care how they got their injury.    


A good chart:


Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Keep Going



A "cognitive psychologist has found evidence that the brains of these individuals may be highly plastic even years after being damaged." Touching the Brain

You keep doing your exercises after therapy stops. Money only goes so far in providing therapy. It eventually runs out. Once it does, it's up to you to keep doing the exercise.