Brain injuries can occur secondary to a variety of "insults. During an IED blast your brain sloshes within the bony skull. That causes the nerve cells, called neurons to break off. There may or may not be swelling. In diffuse (generalized) injury- it may not show up on an MRI or other diagnostic brain scans. The brain is the control center of your body so you may realize something isn't right but may not know quite what it is. It can be very confusing and upsetting.
Typical symptoms affect personality where there is damage to the outer front portion of the brain. You may have problems with concentration, hearing buzzing in your ears, seeing flashes of light that don't exist, insomnia, irritability, impulsively, inability to calculate numbers or understand long directions. You may feel like your brain is "stuffed with cotton." It may take longer to process what you see or what someone tells you. Which symptoms you have all depends on where in the brain, the injury occurred. Seizures may occur. You don't have to become unconscious to experience an injury that has a profound negative impact on all aspects of your life.
Therapy for TBI involves medical doctors, physical and occupational therapists, case managers, social workers, emotional and support in activities of daily living such as balancing a checkbook and more. Healing is a process that will require patience.
To make the situation more complicated, PTSD may have developed from the same injury that caused the brain injury. Early treatment results in the best treatment outcomes (how much your brain can learn to compensate for the injury. The brain doesn't regrow but it has the ability to grew new connections in existing nerve cells (Research from Stanford University) which may help "reroute" some of the damaged "wiring."
In my next report, I'll chat more about family and dealing with brain injury.
Till Then, God Bless-
ANJYL
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