About Brain Injury
Without question, a brain injury can change your life instantly. It may affect how you think, how you feel, how you behave, how you move, and what you remember. In some cases, innovative technology from Medtronic can help manage the tight, stiff muscles or severe spasticity that may result from brain injury.
Definition of Acquired Brain Injury
An acquired brain injury is an injury caused to the brain since birth.1
One example of acquired brain injury is traumatic brain injury.
Definition of Traumatic Brain Injury
A traumatic brain injury is defined as a blow to the head, or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the function of the brain.
Traumatic brain injury can range from levels that are mild (a brief change in mental status or consciousness) to severe (an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia after the injury). Brain injury can result in short- or long-term problems with independent function.2
Causes of Acquired Brain Injury
Causes of acquired brain injury can include, but are not limited to:1
- Stroke
- Brain tumor
- Encephalitis
- Brain hemorrhage
- Aneurism
- Hypoxic/anoxic brain injury
Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury
The leading causes of brain injury are:2
- Falls
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Being struck or striking a hard object
- Assaults
- Blasts (a leading cause of traumatic brain injury for active duty military personnel in war zones)
Risk Factors for Brain Injury
Groups with the highest risk factors for traumatic brain injury include:2
- Males (about 1.5 times as likely as females to sustain a brain injury)
- Young children or teenagers (especially infants to 4-year-olds and 15–19-year-olds)
- Certain military personnel (for example, paratroopers)
- African Americans (who have the highest death rate from brain injury)
About Spasticity due to Brain Injury
Spasticity is caused by damage or injury to the part of the central nervous system (the brain or spinal cord) that controls voluntary movement. This damage disrupts important signals between the nervous system and muscles, creating an imbalance that increases muscle activity or spasms.
Spasticity can make one's movement, posture, and balance difficult. It may affect your ability to move one or more of your limbs, or to move one side of your body. Sometimes spasticity is so severe that it gets in the way of daily activities, sleep patterns, and caregiving. In certain situations, this loss of control can be dangerous for the individual.
References
- Headway. Other Forms of Acquired Brain Injury. Available at: http://www.headway.org.uk/Other-forms-of-acquired-brain-injury.aspx. Accessed 5/3/10.
- Brain Injury Association of America. Facts about Traumatic Brain Injury. Available at: http://www.biausa.org. Accessed 04/16/10.
Information on this site should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctor. Always talk with your doctor about diagnosis and treatment information.
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