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Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Typical Course of Treatment & Recovery Problems Associated with MTBI | Statistics
Of the more than 1,000,000 people each year in the US who suffer brain injuries, over 64% of them are considered to have suffered Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries. The American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine defines a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) as an injury during which the head strikes an object, or when the brain moves abruptly within the skull without the head coming into contact with any object or surface. During such an injury, if at least one of the following has occurred, the diagnosis of MTBI is given:
Typical Course of Treatment and Recovery Most people that suffer a MTBI do not immediately seek medical attention. If they are seen in a hospital's Emergency Room, they will usually remain in the hospital for only a brief period of time. Medical evaluations may find physical problems such as broken bones or bruises, but usually fail to detect significant evidence of injury to the brain. MTBI survivors are typically sent home from the hospital, reassured that their condition is not serious, and are encouraged to resume their lives. They are rarely referred for any follow-up care. Patients are typically told that they "will be fine" and that "nothing is seriously wrong with them." Unfortunately, this is not always true. People that experience MTBI's typically suffer from a group of symptoms that may include headaches, dizziness, fatigue, noise and light sensitivity, blurred vision, forgetfulness, and difficulty concentrating. Other symptoms may include irritability, restlessness, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. It is common for MTBI survivors to experience disturbed sleep patterns that result in poor physical and mental endurance. MTBI survivors' level of energy is often decreased. Most people then go on to recover within weeks to months, and are able to resume their everyday activities. Other MTBI survivors seem to experience greater difficulties. These persisting symptoms, when they exist, may interfere with their ability to interact with their family and friends, and to return to work or school. In short, their lives seem to be unraveling. Since they were told by a trusted medical professional that their symptoms were not serious, they begin to feel "crazy" for having any symptoms at all. They may become confused, anxious and/or depressed. These emotional reactions tend to make their lives even more difficult and stressful. This, in turn, may lead to a cyclical worsening of their home and work situations. This scenario can be prevented by providing the MTBI survivor with appropriate therapeutic services. Such services may include thorough assessment, education, and treatment when this is indicated. Information about their injury and the potential consequences is crucial in the prevention of further problems. Traumatic Brain Injury β Statistics Traumatic Brain Injury has been referred to as "the silent epidemic." It is estimated that one person in the US sustains a brain injury every 15 seconds. Since most researchers believe that our estimates are conservative, it is likely that the incidence is greater than this. Using national data for the year 1995 β 1996 the Centers for Disease Control estimate that in the US alone: (1) 1,000,000 people are treated and released from hospital ERβs due to TBI yearly; (2) 230,000 people are hospitalized due to TBI annually; and (3) 50,000 people die each year due to TBI. It is estimated that 2% of the US population (5.3 million) currently live with disabilities resulting from brain injuries. Individuals at greatest risk are those in the 15 β 30 age group, especially males, and in the under 5 and over 75 age group. These latter two groups are predominantly injured in falls and other household accidents. The young adulthood age group (twice as many males as females) is primarily injured in automobile accidents, sometimes with alcohol or other drugs being a contributing factor.
 Interestingly, suffering one brain injury is a risk factor for future injuries. One TBI increases the risk of a second one 300%. A second TBI raises the risk of a third injury 800%. According to New York State statistics based on injuries sustained during the years 1993 - 1995, 6% of TBI hospitalizations are due to severe injuries while 64% are due to mild injuries. Since these statistics are based on hospitalizations only, mild cases are often missed as these patients are often evaluated and released in the same day. As a result, this epidemic is likely larger than anyone knows. Lastly, TBI remains mostly untreated as most treatment services are directed towards the more severe injuries (only 6% of the total TBI population).
Written and compiled by Dr. Robert Coben. Resources included for this publication were:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Links to Additional Information on Brain Injury
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