Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment

The severity of the injuries suffered by the traumatic brain injury patient will dictate the type of treatment and its duration. The only treatment for mild injuries is bed rest, giving the brain time to heal and stabilize. The doctor will also prescribe over-the-counter pain relievers for possible headaches during the recovery period.

However, in cases where the injuries are extensive, the patient will need hospitalization, and recovery will require a series of treatment stages. This multiple step process may continue for months, or even years depending upon the individual. The stages may not follow a linear order, but may actually overlap. Some recovering patients may even skip one or more steps entirely.

The severe traumatic rain injury treatment can be divided in three stages:

Acute Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment

This treatment, administered by both emergency rescue personnel and hospital staff, is designed to stabilize the patient, and to stop the progression of damage to the brain. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation may be needed while the patient is being taken to the hospital. Emergency rescuers may also have to unblock airways, aid breathing, and keep blood circulating.

Once the patient arrives at the hospital, and is considered stabile, the next step is to treat the injuries inside the brain. Injured brain tissue typically swells, causing it to expand and take up available space in the skull. There may also be blood pools or clots from the blood that flowed out of the blood vessels that were torn during the accident. These will also use up available space in the skull.

The swelled tissue and excess blood cause a pressure build up inside the brain that squeezes the tissue and blood cells that supply food and oxygen to the brain. If the brain cells' supply of these items is cut off, serious damage can occur. To prevent this from happening, doctors may intravenously administer the diuretic mannitol to decrease the amount of fluid in the tissue and increase urine output.

Surgery may also be performed if a blood clot causes increased pressure within the skull. Some clots have to be removed; others cannot be because of the damage that will be done if they are. Subdural hematomas, (bleeding into the space between the brain cover and the brain itself), and intracerebral hemorrhages, (bleeding resulting from ruptured blood vessels), may also increase pressure, which may mean that the patient will need surgery.

Seizures, ranging from a minor twitching to loss of consciousness accompanied by involuntary movements across the whole body, are another possible outcome of brain injuries, especially during the first week of recovery. Seizures can cause additional damage; so many doctors will prescribe antiseizure medication to prevent them.

Subacute Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment

Once the patient is stabilized and there is no danger of additional brain damage, subacute treatment is provided to determine if there are any further complications, help the patient's neurological recovery, and prevent any additional injury. In most instances the patient will be admitted to a rehabilitation care facility. The facility staff will be on the alert for bedsores, muscle contractions, and infections that need treatment, in addition to fluid accumulation in the brain that may require surgery.

Regaining neurological function requires the assistance of the physical, occupational, and speech therapists, nurses, neuropsychologists, and neurologists on staff at the facility. They not only monitor recovery progress, but they also help patients learn new ways to perform routine tasks if they no longer have the physical ability to perform them as they did in the past.

Initially, many patients experience poor balance, lack of coordination, or cognitive impairments that make them vulnerable to additional injuries. Although they may be agitated and restless, they cannot really be left to move around on their own. It is the job of the rehabilitation staff to keep them calm and safe, until such time as they are able to get around safely. At this point, the patient is usually ready to be discharged.

Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment

Some patients who are released from the rehabilitation facility will still have symptoms that remain with them for the rest of their lives, and will require ongoing treatment. One typical long-term symptom is lack of muscle tone, which would mean that the patient would continue receiving physical therapy, or undergo minor corrective surgery.

Chronic pain may necessitate that the patient continue medication, as well as physical therapy. If the individual suffers from depression, anxiety, and behavioral problems, they will most likely be treated with a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Seizures and headaches may also continue, requiring that the patient remain on medication to control them.

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