Monday, February 6, 2012

The Difficult Issue Of Traumatic Brain Injury

Our brain is probably the most amazing organ in our bodies. It controls virtually every part of our bodies. But it also provides us with higher-level thoughts and our ability to effectively interact with others and respond to the world around us. But it is also a very sensitive organ. Traumatic brain injury can have dire consequences on the proper functioning of the brain. Let’s explore this further.

The brain is normally well protected against minor injuries like a fall. The brain is surrounded and protected by a bony structure called the skull. It is also encased in a viscous fluid which helps to cushion and protect the brain.

However there may be unfortunate situations where to brain is exposed to severe injury through a number of different circumstances. For example if someone is involved in an automobile accident, the impact from a crash can cause the brain to absorb a great deal of force.

Even if there is no physical damage to the skull from a blunt force or impact, the brain can suffer a great deal of damage by the movement of the brain inside of the skull. It can swell as a result of the force.

The problem is that if the swelling is severe enough it will cause further damage because the swelling creates even greater force since it is constrained inside of the skull. This pressure cannot be relieved unless medical attention is given.

There are many other types of brain damage which can result from a variety of circumstances. It is very important for people to recognize if they have become hurt since the initial symptoms may not be readily apparent. However over time the symptoms can increase significantly and irreversible damage may occur.

For example if the injury causes a blood clot, this might be something a medical professional can address if it is identified early on. If the situation is not addressed, the clot can cause significant damage to brain.

In any case there are a many techniques such as brain training which are used to address traumatic brain injury. Some of these techniques are used as emergency procedures to help to minimize the amount of trauma to the brain and ultimate damage. This includes relieving of pressure on the brain and other emergency techniques.

The effects from traumatic brain injury can be significant. It can affect the ability of a person to talk, walk and think effectively. But many techniques are used to help a person who is suffering from the brain injury. They can be used to help the brain to deal with the damage.

In some cases it is possible to teach a different part of the brain to perform the same functions which were handled by another part of the brain which had become damaged. This uses the process called brain plasticity.

But traumatic brain injury can have significant long term consequences and it can take years of training and the application of specialized techniques to help people to overcome and deal with the effects of the damage.

New techniques are being developed every day. Some of them are surgically based and others may include drug therapy or other techniques. But the goal is to help people to overcome and deal with the effects of this traumatic brain injury.

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