Head Injuries

Published on: April 8, 2022

Traumatic Brain Injury Significantly Increases Long-term Stroke Risk

A traumatic brain injury can be caused in car accidents, motorcycle and bicycle accidents, and slip and fall accidents. A fall from a height, for instance, is significantly likely to result in an injury to the brain. Traumatic brain injuries can have long-term consequences that can significantly impair quality of life. The long-term impact of the injury may make it difficult for a person who has suffered the injury to go back to work and earn a living at the level that he was earning before he suffered the accident.

Persons who have suffered a traumatic brain injury may have a risk of stroke that is much higher than previously believed. These findings came from a recent study which found that military veterans who have suffered a brain injury have a higher stroke risk.

The results of the study were presented recently at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention, Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Conference. Researchers looked at data involving veterans who had suffered a brain injury between October 2002 and September 2019 from the Veteran’s Health Administration database. The stroke risk of these people was compared with another group of people who had not suffered a traumatic brain injury.

Published on: February 8, 2022

Brain Injuries and Personality Changes

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Often, recovery after a brain injury can focus only on the physical aspects of healing including recovery of mobility, movement and the ability to perform routine tasks and take care of one’s needs. Lost in the treatment plan may be the psychological damage and emotional distress that many brain injury victims continue to face months after the injury.

Brain injuries are severe injuries that seriously impact a person’s ability to lead a normal life. These are catastrophic injuries that can impact a person’s ability to perform even daily routine tasks, like looking after himself, eating or bathing. A brain injury can impact a person’s vision or hearing. These are some of the more commonly known effects of a brain injury. Lesser known or acknowledged is the long-term emotional damage inflicted by these injuries.

We know enough about some of this damage. For instance, we know that brain injury patients tend to have a higher risk of falling into depression in the months after the injury. Other mental health issues like anxiety may also be seen. Did you know that brain injury patients may also suffer from severe anger and rage control issues?

Published on: November 29, 2021

Exercise May Help Speed up Brain Injury Recovery in Teens

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Concussions are mild brain injuries that can occur in a car accident, or a motorcycle or bicycle accident. Wearing a helmet when you ride a motorcycle or a bicycle can help protect your head against injuries in an accident. Short term symptoms after a concussion may include temporary loss of consciousness, nausea and vomiting. In the long term, however, persons who suffer concussions may face challenges like concentration difficulties, problems paying attention, chronic headaches and fatigue. These problems, if left unaddressed, could also cause mental health issues like depression. It is, therefore, important to receive treatment for a concussion as soon as one occurs.

Brain injuries are severe injuries that should not be ignored. Whenever there has been any jolt or blow to the head after an accident, make sure that you get it checked out by a doctor immediately to rule out any damage to the brain tissue. Early diagnosis and treatment can help manage symptoms and prevent exacerbation.

When it comes to brain injury recovery, the longstanding belief has been that extensive rest helps heal symptoms of a concussion quicker. However, just the opposite may be true. According to a new study, teenagers who have suffered a brain injury may actually benefit from periods of light, aerobic exercise instead of being cocooned and isolated.

Published on: August 30, 2021

Long Term Outcomes for Brain Injury May Be Better than Earlier Believed

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A brain injury is one of the most devastating injuries a person can sustain. Findings from new research could have an impact on doctors’ recommendations for life support for patients with TBI. This means that persons with a serious brain injury may have much better long-term outcomes than previously expected.

A traumatic brain injury occurs as a result of trauma or a blow or jolt to the head. These injuries can occur in any number of ways, but the most common causes of traumatic brain injury are car and auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, falls, and assaults or violence.

The results of the new study focusing on brain injury were published in July in the journal Neurology. The researchers focused on 484 patients who suffered from moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. The researchers tracked the patients over a year, and found that over this time period, close to 25 percent of the patients recovered to a much greater extent than expected. For example, among patients who were in a vegetative state after the injury, as many as one in 4 were able to perform simply orientation tasks like recognizing themselves as well as identifying the date and their location with 12 months after the injury.

Published on: May 16, 2021

Drop in Bicycle Head Injuries in Kids, But Adults Still at Risk

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The month of May marked the beginning of national bicycle safety month. Thanks to a greater focus on helmet usage and other factors, there has been a significant reduction in the number of American children suffering serious head injuries in bicycle accidents. However, adults continue to be at risk of suffering head injuries in these accidents, with injury rates in this section of the population barely budging.

According to a new study by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, there was a significant drop of close to 50% in bicycle-related head injuries in children between 2009 and 2018. The researchers credit a number of factors for this significant drop in injuries in this section of the population. The most important factor has been the increased usage of bicycle helmets. Awareness campaigns that have pushed for the use of helmets in children have led to a greater awareness of the risk of bicycle-related head injuries in this section of the population. These injuries can be especially dangerous in little ones. Several cities, including those in Georgia, have also significantly invested in the construction of bicycle lanes that have ensured that children and adults are not exposed to motorists and the risks of accidents involving cars.

However, those same safety interventions do not have seem to have had any effect on the number of head injuries in adults. During the same period of time, the rate of traumatic brain injury involving bicycle accidents among adults dropped by less than 5.5%. This in spite of the fact that there was an increase in bicycle accident-related fatalities among adults during the study. In fact, in 2018, the number of bicycle accident fatalities involving adults in the United States was the highest in over two decades. According to the researchers, the drop in bicycle head injuries involving children has been as much as 9 times greater than those involving adults.

Published on: July 21, 2020

Blood Test May Accurately Predict Severity of a Brain Injury

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Researchers say that a blood test that could predict the severity of a concussion, even more accurately than a spinal tap, is being developed and could soon be available for testing.

Concussions are mild brain injuries that occur when a person suffers a sudden blow or jolt to the head. These types of head injuries are very common in motorcycle accidents, or any kind of accident, in which the person suffers a sudden blow to the skull.

Concussions are considered mild brain injuries, but that does not mean that they should be ignored. Concussions can lead to debilitating, consequences, including temporary memory loss, loss of concentration, forgetfulness, inability to focus, distraction, and other complications that can affect a person’s ability to study or perform work-related activities.

Published on: January 26, 2020

Nanoparticle Tech Promises to be First Real Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many 2.5 million people in the United States suffer a brain injury every year. Brain injuries can be a result of many types of accidents including slip and falls, car accidents and bicycle accidents. Brain injuries are especially common in motorcycle accidents and can occur even if a motorcyclist is wearing a helmet while riding.

A brain injury can forever change a person’s life. Traumatic brain injury can severely disrupt a person’s ability lead a productive and normal life. Depending on the severity of the injury, there may be numerous repercussions on the individual’s ability to perform daily routine functions.

A complete treatment for a brain injury has proven elusive, although there are advancements that can help reduce the severity of the injury, and thereby, the consequences of the injury. Typically, these treatments have to be administered within the first few hours of the brain injury in order to limit the severity of the injury.

Published on: December 4, 2019

Distracted Walking is Common Cause of Brain Injuries Pedestrian Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

We all know distracted driving is dangerous and can cause deadly accidents, but distracted walking can be just as dangerous to both pedestrians and motorists alike.

Distracted walking includes activities such as texting or emailing while walking, using social media apps while walking, listening to music and even playing a game on the phone while walking.

These days with everyone constantly on their cell phones, distracted walking accidents are increasing at an alarming rate. According to the National Safety Council, over 6000 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2018. Statistics from the National Highway and Transportation Safety Association show that most of these pedestrian deaths occurred in urban areas, such as the metro Atlanta, on the open road, and at night. The actual number of pedestrian injuries are probably even higher as these statistics focus on only the number of medically treated injuries and death. The problem has gotten so bad that some cities and states have either banned using a cell phone while walking or will fine those who violate such laws.

Published on: June 13, 2019

Know the Silent Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A brain injury is one of the most devastating injuries a person can suffer in an accident. Brain injuries are not only debilitating to the victim, but they can have a tremendous impact on the victim’s family as well.

Car accidents as well as slip, or trip, and fall accidents are two of the most common causes of brain injuries. And as serious as brain injuries are, they are also, surprisingly, one of the most difficult and complicated injuries to diagnose and treat. According to the International Brain Injury Association, approximately 1.5 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every year. Of these, 75% are classified as mild TBI. Unfortunately, a mild TBI is often unnoticed or misdiagnosed because many victims do not have visible symptoms that most people associate with a brain injury. Because of this, the mild TBI has been called a “silent epidemic.” However, the term “mild” can be misleading as these injuries can still have long-term and devastating complications on a victim’s life.

Many times a person may have been involved in a slip and fall or a car accident and, although he or she may not think they sustained serious injuries, could very well be overlooking some classic symptoms of a brain injury or mild TBI. Symptoms of a brain injury or mild TBI include (1) any period of loss of consciousness, even if just for a few seconds, (2) any loss of memory immediately before or after the accident, (3) any altered state of mind such as confusion or disorientation at the time of the accident, (4) any neurological problems including speech, vision or hearing, (5) headache, nausea or vomiting, and (5) fatigue, sleepiness or dizziness.

Published on: May 29, 2019

Disturbing Trend of No Helmets While Biking Endangers Children

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Despite laws in Georgia and throughout the country, it may be surprising to know that many American parents fail to require their children to wear protective helmets while riding a bicycle or scooter, or skateboarding.

Those were the findings of a new poll that surveyed 1,300 parents across the country. According to the poll, as many as 18 percent of the parents admitted that their children never wore bicycle helmets while riding a bike. More than 58 percent admitted that their children didn’t wear helmets while skateboarding, and 61 percent admitted that their children never wore helmets while riding scooters.

Bicycling, skateboarding, and riding scooters are becoming more and more popular in Atlanta, not just as a form of recreation, but also as a form of transportation. These activities, however, also have a high potential for causing serious, or even fatal, injuries to a child. When a parent allows a child to ride without wearing a safety helmet, this only contributes to the risk of the child incurring serious injuries which can have devastating and often life-long impacts.