Traumatic Brain Injury
Those three words are enough to strike fear in to most people, who naturally assume the worst. There is no doubt that a TBI can be very serious, meaning a complete change to life as you know it and possibly a lifetime of care and scheduling hospital appointments and visits, but there is also a side that is still classified as TBI that perhaps most of us have already experienced – a simple knock on the head from a cupboard door for example.

Traumatic?

Perhaps it is the word ‘traumatic’ that takes us along the road to thinking life will never be the same again? After all, its very meaning is ‘deeply disturbing or distressing’, but when it comes to any type of injury to the brain, it has to be taken very seriously.

Complexity

It is generally accepted that while the medical understanding of the brain has progressed in leaps and bounds over the last decade or so, it must be said that the understanding that we have is far outweighed by the information that we don’t know, we may never truly know all about the brain – its functionality, capacity and ability.

Severity

As with many things, understanding the level of severity is key to understanding the prognosis, and that is what makes it difficult – while many injuries are generic and have similar symptoms or causes, they are still different; different body, different emotions and different strengths. See the problem? That is what makes it a traumatic injury – many parts of the body are happily sliced away or off for examination, but the brain really does need to stay in one piece, where it is.

If you’re living with a TBI, either as a patient or carer, then you should come along to our virtual community – you’ll find support, advice, friends and information. Join us today.