Traumatic Brain injury (TBI)

TBI is a brain injury that can occur from a bump or blow to the head or when an object goes through the skull and into the brain. 

Common Cause of TBIs: 

• falls
• car accidents
• being hit by or running into an object
• sport-related
• military combat injuries

You may be more likely to have another TBI if you have had one before. Even a mild TBI can lead to more serious problems if you get hit in the head again.

Signs and Symptoms:

Individuals who have sustained a brain injury may experience changes with their speech, language, thinking, and swallowing problems. These changes can greatly affect a person's ability to manage their daily life. 

Suddenly this person may find it difficult to focus, remember daily task, organize their thoughts, understand and process information as they did before the TBI.  Simple tasks may now seem overwhelming.  

• Physical problems—fainting, seizures, headaches, dizziness and vomiting, problems with balance, and muscle weakness. 
• Sensory problems—sensitivity to lights, sound, and touch; hearing loss or ringing in the ears; changes in vision or double vision.
• Behavior changes—being more emotional or feeling anxious or angry; feeling depressed or having mood swings.
• Problems with Cognitive/thinking skills—difficulty paying attention, remembering, and learning new information; difficulty planning, setting goals, and problem solving (executive function)
• Speech and language problems—problems being understood because of weak speech muscles (dysarthria) or problems controlling your speech muscles (apraxia); problems understanding what others say or what you read; problems finding the words to say what you want or need.
• Social communication issues—difficulty following conversational rules, like taking turns and not interrupting; difficulty understanding nonverbal cues, like when someone shrugs their shoulders. 
• Swallowing problems—trouble chewing, or coughing and choking when you eat (dysphagia).

One of the overwhelming challenges faced by individuals who have sustained a brain injury is what is called the “invisible injury”. While this is not always the case, many individuals do not “look” as though they have an injury. Most of my client's living with TBI share this as the single, most frustrating part of living with a brain injury. They are struggling and find it impossible to explain what they are experiencing.  Many times the client feels like they are “going crazy” when their ability to think and communicate suddenly becomes difficult.

Therapy for TBI: what does it look like?

One of the overwhelming challenges faced by individuals who have sustained a brain injury is what is called the “invisible injury”. While this is not always the case, many individuals do not “look” as though they have an injury. Most of my client's living with TBI share this ia the single, most frustrated part of living with a brain injury. They are struggling and find it impossible to explain what they are experiencing.  Many times the client feels like they are “going crazy” when their ability to think and communicate suddenly becomes difficult.