The NIH describes a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as an injury to the brain caused by an external force. In a car accident, you may suffer a bump or jolt. The very nature of a car accident can lead to your brain slamming into your skull or your head colliding with other objects in the car. In fact, car accidents are one of the leading causes of TBI.
Directly following an accident, if you suffer an emergency TBI, the emergency services will focus their efforts on stabilizing you. In some cases, surgery is necessary to repair skull fractures, relieve pressure or to remove clotted blood. After stabilization and as time passes, different treatment avenues open up for patients of TBI. There are medications that can treat your symptoms. These medications may include the following:
- Stimulants
- Anticonvulsants
- Antidepressants
- Muscle relaxants
In addition, a patient may have to undergo extensive physical therapy. Rehab therapies provide patients with an avenue to take care of themselves. These therapies can help a patient relearn how to dress him or herself or how to express emotion.
Everyone’s recovery process looks different
There are a variety of different therapies available to patients with a TBI. Traumatic injuries come in different shapes and sizes. Not every treatment has the same results. After a brain injury, you could find yourself in speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, cognitive therapy and more. It all depends on the individual’s situation.
When it comes to a TBI, patients have to understand that healing and recovery may take a long time.
