An estimated Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and one in 60 people in the United States lives with a TBI-related disability. Dealing with the long-term effects of brain injury can be overwhelming and hard to understand. For TBI survivors, it may impact their ability to move, work, complete daily activities, and maintain or form new relationships. TBI can also change how someone thinks, acts, feels or learns.
“Sometimes it can be a very difficult conversation with a new patient,” says Kelsi Schiltz, DPT, who specializes in care for people with neurologic conditions at СAPP. “We remain positive, though, to get patients up, moving, and participating as much as we can to get them back to what they enjoy.”
Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital sees a wide variety of traumatic brain injury patients, with nearly half of TBI-related hospitalizations caused by falls. Many other TBI injuries are caused by motor vehicle accidents, assaults, firearm-related suicide attempts, or sports injuries.
According to Schiltz, some groups are at increased risk of having long-term health problems, or higher mortality rates from a TBI, including:
- Males (who are two times more likely to be hospitalized and three times more likely to die from a TBI than females)
- Older adults (particularly those 75 years and older)
- Racial and ethnic minorities
- Service members and veterans
- People experiencing homelessness
- People in a correctional or detention facility
- Survivors of intimate partner violence
- People living in rural areas
Long-Term Side Effects of TBI
ճ long-term effects of TBI depend on the degree of impact, duration of loss of consciousness, and where in the brain the trauma took place.
- Frontal lobe: Damage here can lead to engaging in risky or inappropriate behaviors.
- Left side of brain: Trauma here can cause problems with logic, speech difficulties, and trouble understanding others.
- Ride side of brain: Trauma here can cause problems processing visual information, neglect, or the ability to perform regular or familiar tasks (apraxia).
“If you give someone a comb, they can tell you it’s a comb, but they don't know how to use it,” Shiltz explains. “Trauma to the motor or sensory areas of the brain can impact an individual’s ability to walk, stand, or move.”
Long-term effects of head trauma also depend on trauma severity. Moderate to severe side effects may include:
- Memory loss
- Headaches
- Seizures
- Dizziness
- Visual changes/loss
- Fatigue
- Paralysis
- Weakness
- Sensory problems (touch and feel)
- Balance problems
- Reduced language (speaking and understanding) or problem-solving skills
- Mood swings
- Depression or mental health behaviors
“With increased severity, we see a lot of physical impairments,” Schiltz explains, “but also cognitive impairments, problem-solving challenges, sleep disturbances, and depression.”
Short-Term Side Effects of Concussions
For milder traumatic brain injuries like concussions, Schiltz says some may experience migraines, vision changes, dizziness, balance disturbances, fatigue, and concentration difficulties.
“Recovery is usually within a 30- to 90-day window, with most people recovering from a concussion within days to weeks,” she explains.
Possible short-term effects include:
- Headache
- Light sensitivity
- Noise sensitivity
- Balance disruption
- Vertigo
- Mental fatigue or difficulty concentrating
- Confusion
“After a concussion, you might be in a conversation with someone and lose your train of thought or not be able to follow a conversation,” Schiltz says. “Or you might get a worsening headache or fatigue from physical exertion or work.”
TBI Treatment: Exercise and Holistic Care
If you experience head trauma and notice any of the above symptoms, don’t wait to seek care.
“The biggest thing we want is for people to come in and get the proper care and education—don’t wait,” Schiltz advises. “Research shows that exercise, participating in regular activities, and getting into a routine can help blood flow to the brain and drive neural recovery.”
Treatment for TBI iԳܻ:&Բ;
- Physical therapy
- Rehab psychology
- Occupational therapy
- Speech therapy
- Social work
The more work you can put in, the better the outcome.
“We had someone come to us in a wheelchair after being told they may never walk again,” Schiltz says. “This individual was in care for two years, pretty intensively, and now they’re back to driving, walking, and living by themself. In their new normal, they have difficulty speaking, but they’ve come so far.”
Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital
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