Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a significant source of death and permanent disability, contributing to nearly one-third of all injury related deaths in the United States and exacting a profound personal and economic toll. Despite the increased resources that have recently been brought to bear to improve our understanding of TBI, the developme
The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) provides disability compensation to veterans with a service-connected injury, and to receive disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), a veteran must submit a claim or have a claim submitted on his or her behalf. Evaluation of the Disability Determination Process for Traumatic Brain Injury in Veterans reviews the process by which the VA assesses impairments resulting from traumatic brain injury for purposes of awarding disability compensation. This report also provides recommendations for legislative or administrative action for improving the adjudication of veterans' claims seeking entitlement to compensation for all impairments arising from a traumatic brain injury.
This thoroughly revised and updated work covers numerous advances in traumatic brain injury diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, and pathophysiology. Since publication of the first edition in 2012, there has been greatly increased public awareness of the clinical consequences of even the mildest of head injuries, and the result has been a concerted effort of countries around the world to increase research funding. This second edition continues to focus on mild traumatic brain injury--or concussion--and contains updates to all the original chapters as well as adding new chapters addressing clinical sequelae, including pediatric concussion, visual changes, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and blast-associated TBI. Traumatic Brain Injury: A Clinician's Guide to Diagnosis, Management, and Rehabilitation, Second Edition, is a comprehensive resource designed for neurologists, primary care clinicians, sports physicians, and other medical providers, including psychologists and neuropsychologists, as well as athletic trainers who may evaluate and care for individuals who have sustained a TBI. The book features summaries of the most pertinent areas of diagnosis and therapy, which can be readily accessed by the busy clinician/professional. In addition, the book's treatment algorithms provide a highly practical reference to cutting edge therapies, and an updated appendix of ICD codes is included. An outstanding contribution to the literature, Traumatic Brain Injury: A Clinician's Guide to Diagnosis, Management, and Rehabilitation, Second Edition, again offers an invaluable resource for all providers who treat patients with TBI.
With the contribution from more than one hundred CNS neurotrauma experts, this book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date account on the latest developments in the area of neurotrauma including biomarker studies, experimental models, diagnostic methods, and neurotherapeutic intervention strategies in brain injury research. It discusses neurotrauma mechanisms, biomarker discovery, and neurocognitive and neurobehavioral deficits. Also included are medical interventions and recent neurotherapeutics used in the area of brain injury that have been translated to the area of rehabilitation research. In addition, a section is devoted to models of milder CNS injury, including sports injuries.
This important book provides a firsthand account of a university professor who experienced traumatic brain injury. It tells the story of Michael Arthur, who had recently accepted a position as vice principal of a new high school. After only two weeks on the job, he was involved in a car accident while driving through an intersection in northern Utah. Through his personal account, he takes the reader into the dark interworkings of his mind as he tries to cope with his new reality. He provides insight into how he learned how to process information and even speak without stumbling on his words while also sharing how his significant relationships suffered as he tried to navigate the restless seas of doubt while trying to circumvent his unyielding symptoms. The book is about finding optimism and gaining insight into the struggles of the brain-injured patient and about trying to understand the perspectives of loved ones who can’t quite grasp the idea of an invisible injury. From the sudden onset of garbled speech to the challenges of processing information, the changing dynamic of the author’s life is highlighted to help family members and healthcare workers better understand.
In the past decade, few subjects at the intersection of medicine and sports have generated as much public interest as sports-related concussions - especially among youth. Despite growing awareness of sports-related concussions and campaigns to educate athletes, coaches, physicians, and parents of young athletes about concussion recognition and management, confusion and controversy persist in many areas. Currently, diagnosis is based primarily on the symptoms reported by the individual rather than on objective diagnostic markers, and there is little empirical evidence for the optimal degree and duration of physical rest needed to promote recovery or the best timing and approach for returning to full physical activity. Sports-Related Concussions in Youth: Improving the Science, Changing the Culture reviews the science of sports-related concussions in youth from elementary school through young adulthood, as well as in military personnel and their dependents. This report recommends actions that can be taken by a range of audiences - including research funding agencies, legislatures, state and school superintendents and athletic directors, military organizations, and equipment manufacturers, as well as youth who participate in sports and their parents - to improve what is known about concussions and to reduce their occurrence. Sports-Related Concussions in Youth finds that while some studies provide useful information, much remains unknown about the extent of concussions in youth; how to diagnose, manage, and prevent concussions; and the short- and long-term consequences of concussions as well as repetitive head impacts that do not result in concussion symptoms. The culture of sports negatively influences athletes' self-reporting of concussion symptoms and their adherence to return-to-play guidance. Athletes, their teammates, and, in some cases, coaches and parents may not fully appreciate the health threats posed by concussions. Similarly, military recruits are immersed in a culture that includes devotion to duty and service before self, and the critical nature of concussions may often go unheeded. According to Sports-Related Concussions in Youth, if the youth sports community can adopt the belief that concussions are serious injuries and emphasize care for players with concussions until they are fully recovered, then the culture in which these athletes perform and compete will become much safer. Improving understanding of the extent, causes, effects, and prevention of sports-related concussions is vitally important for the health and well-being of youth athletes. The findings and recommendations in this report set a direction for research to reach this goal.
Make the fullest possible recovery after neurological injury with this definitive guide—by a doctor and spinal cord injury survivor who’s been there After an accident that left him permanently paralyzed over ten years ago, Dr. Bradford Berk made it his mission to help others recover from acute neurological injury (ANI). As the founder and director of the University of Rochester Neurorestoration Institute, he brings his abundant experience in working with patients and making his own ongoing recovery to Getting Your Brain and Body Back, the most up-to-date guide for survivors of spinal cord injury (SCI), stroke, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Each of these acute neurological injuries can result in similar physical and psychological challenges and require similar treatments, medications, and assistive devices. Getting Your Brain and Body Back offers comprehensive, reassuring guidance for your every concern: How to deal with grief and trauma in the aftermath of accident or injury—and build resilience as you find your way forward What adaptive devices—for bathing, dining, mobility, and more—will help you enjoy life to the utmost How to prevent and treat secondary health problems of every kind, such as heart, skin, and bladder troubles—sexual health included! Therapeutic approaches from both Western and Eastern medicine to consider for maximum healing and pain relief Dr. Berk’s candid advice on medical treatment and daily living—plus insights from the brightest minds in the field—will help get you or your loved one back to life.
Rebuilding Life after Brain Injury: Dreamtalk tells the survival story of Sheena McDonald, who in 1999 was hit by a police van and suffered a very severe brain injury. Sheena’s story is told from her own, personal standpoint and also from two further unique and invaluable perspectives. Allan Little, a BBC journalist and now Sheena’s husband, describes both the physical and mental impact of the injury on himself and on Sheena. Gail Robinson, Sheena’s neuropsychological rehabilitation specialist, provides professional commentaries on Sheena’s condition, assessment and recovery process. The word Dreamtalk, created by Allan to describe Sheena’s once "hallucinogenic state", sets the tone for this book. It humanises and contextualises the impact of brain injury, providing support and encouragement for patients, professionals and families. It presents exclusive insights into each stage of recovery, spanning coma, altered consciousness, post-traumatic amnesia and rehabilitation; all showing how she has defied conventional clinical expectations and made an exceptional recovery. This book is valuable reading to those who have suffered a brain injury and also to professionals such as neurologists, neuropsychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists working in the field.
Despite the increased public awareness of traumatic brain injury (TBI), the complexities of the neuropsychiatric, neuropsychological, neurological, and other physical consequences of TBI of all severities across the lifespan remain incompletely understood by patients, their families, healthcare providers, and the media. Keeping pace with advances in the diagnosis, treatment, and science of TBI, the Textbook of Traumatic Brain Injury, Third Edition, comprehensively fills this gap in knowledge. Nearly all 50 chapters feature new authors, all of them experts in their field. Chapters new to this edition include biomechanical forces, biomarkers, neurodegenerative dementias, suicide, endocrine disorders, chronic disease management, and social cognition. An entirely new section is devoted to the evaluation and treatment of mild TBI, including injuries in athletes, military service members and veterans, and children and adolescents. These chapters join newly updated sections on the assessment and treatment of the cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and other physical sequelae of TBI. The Textbook of Traumatic Brain Injury is a must-read for all of those working in any of the multitude of disciplines that contribute to the care and rehabilitation of persons with brain injury. This new volume is also a potentially useful reference for policymakers in both the public and private sectors.
Covering the full spectrum of rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury, this practical reference by Drs. Blessen C. Eapen and David X. Cifu presents best practices and considerations for numerous patient populations and their unique needs. In an easy-to-read, concise format, it covers the key information you need to guide your treatment plans and help patients relearn critical life skills and regain their independence. - Covers neuroimaging, neurosurgical and critical care management, management of associated complications after TBI, pharmacotherapy, pain management, sports concussion, assistive technologies, and preparing patients for community reintegration. - Discusses special populations, including pediatric, geriatric, and military and veteran patients. - Consolidates today's available information and guidance in this challenging and diverse area into one convenient resource.
