Demystifying brain injury – infographic explains the basics

Are you or a loved one recovering from a brain injury? You are not alone. According to the CDC, approximately 1.5 million people in the U.S. get a traumatic brain injury each year, and currently more than 5.3 million people are living with TBI.

Since the brain is the “control center” for all of our human activity including thinking, sensing, judgment, emotions, breathing and moving, injuries to your brain can have a significant impact on daily functioning. This impact can include the following:

• Physical impacts. Depending on what part of your brain is injured, TBI can impact mobility, cause spasticity (increased muscle tone that interferes with normal movement), sensory impairment, fatigue or difficulties with speech.
• Cognitive (thinking) impacts. Depending on what part of the brain was injured, TBI can impact attention & focus, memory, language (for example, aphasia or organizing your thoughts and ideas), impairment in visual-perceptual skills, problem-solving, and reduced perception and empathy.
• Emotional / behavioral impacts. TBI can take a toll on emotional and behavioral capacity, including loss of inhibition, impulsiveness, irritability and/or aggression, obsession, apathy, and egocentricity.

Can you recover from brain injury?

The short answer is “yes.” The fastest improvement happens in about the first six months after injury, although rate of improvement varies from person to person. And the good news is that improvements can still occur even years after injury.

Treatment for brain injury may include some combination of surgery, medication and rehabilitation therapies such as speech therapy, occupational therapy or physical therapy. Digital apps like Constant Therapy which provide science-based cognitive and speech exercises may be recommended as part of a therapy program.

>> Download as printable PDF: Demystifying Brain Injury Infographic