TBI: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment

TBI: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
March 02, 2009
Army News Service

A roadside explosion throws a Soldier against the side of his vehicle, with force that shakes his brain inside his skull. Another Soldier is in a traffic accident on the way to work, her head thrown forward into the windshield. A family member takes a hard fall during a sports game, hitting his head on the ground.

Different situations, but often the same result - a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), better known as a concussion.

A concussion is an injury that causes an alteration of the person's mental status. You had your "bell rung." You are dazed and confused. More serious brain injuries that cause unconsciousness for 30 minutes or more are usually quickly recognized, but concussions may be dismissed and go untreated.

"It's the same as we see in a football game on TV, but no one comes out and holds up two fingers for you to count," said Lt. Col. Lynne Lowe, TBI program director in the Office of The Surgeon General of the Army.

"If you have a car accident and the EMTs come, they are likely to tend to your bleeding and not check for concussion. You are likely to be so happy you're alive, you don't think about concussion," she added.


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