TREATING TBIS

With traumatic brain injuries, the best treatment starts with seeking emergency care immediately – even when you may not yet be experiencing obvious symptoms – followed by early rehabilitation, including tailored physical, occupational, speech and cognitive therapies combined with skilled medical and long-term management.  

No – in a vegetative state, a person is awake and capable of opening their eyes, but they show no signs of awareness. They can’t truly see, understand or communicate with you. People in vegetative states, for example, after suffering traumatic brain injuries, can wake up, fall asleep, have basic reflexes or be startled by noise but there are no signs of cognitive function, and they aren’t able to follow objects using their eyes.

At Stage 5 of the recovery process after traumatic brain injuries, known as “Confused/Inappropriate, Non-agitated,” victims respond but inconsistently, are easily distracted, often confused, have trouble focusing on tasks or may respond to questions and commands in inaccurate or nonsensical ways. They may also have difficulty in social situations or show inappropriate behaviors. With regard to brain injuries, like traumatic brain injuries, there are 10 stages of recovery within the widely-used Ranchos Los Amigos Scale (RLAS).   

New treatments continue to be developed to heal victims who have suffered from traumatic brain injuries, such as stem cell therapies, designed to repair brain tissue and reduce inflammation, to deep brain stimulation, which involves implanting devices on the brain to stimulate specific regions, and ongoing studies of pharmaceuticals and chemicals, like CMX-2043.  

Mild traumatic brain injuries often cause brief confusion, headaches, dizziness or a loss of consciousness. These symptoms may resolve over days or weeks. Severe traumatic brain injuries may involve losing consciousness for over 24 hours, significant memory loss, slurred speech, seizures, vision changes, persistent vomiting and other serious symptoms. In either case, seek medical attention immediately after you’ve been involved in an accident. 

With traumatic brain injuries, in particular, “age regression” is exactly how it sounds – it’s where a victim exhibits a temporary return to cognitive or emotional behaviors, typically seen at a younger developmental ages. During the recovery process of traumatic brain injuries, that may include displays of dependence, confusion or emotional simplicity and reflects neurological stress, usually improving with rehab, and supportive care.  

When frontal-lobe impairments follow traumatic brain injuries, doctors may prescribe medications like psychostimulants, like Adderall or Ritalin, to increase frontal lobe activity or antidepressants as depression is one of the most common secondary effects of brain injuries. However, with traumatic brain injuries, every victim and their situation is different.

Recovery from traumatic brain injuries varies by severity – but, yes, victims with mild TBIs, like concussions, may return to normal within weeks or months. However, people with traumatic brain injuries classified as moderate or severe can retain some function overtime but can have experience lifelong effects, and their recovery can take years.