Brain Injury in the Military
WHAT IS TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY?
A Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the result of a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the function of the brain.Not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI. The severity of such an injury may range from "mild" - a brief change in the mental statusor consciousness - to "severe," an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia after the injury. The terms "concussion" and "mild TBI" (mTBI) are interchangeable.
WHAT CAUSES TBI?
In the Military, the leading causes of TBI are:
- Bullets, Fragments, Blasts
- Falls
- Motor Vehicle - Traffic Crashes
- Assaults
Blasts are a leading cause of TBI of active duty military personnel in war zones.
WHO IS AT HIGHEST RISK FOR TBI?
- Males are about 1.5 times as likely as females to sustain a TBI.
- Military duties increase the risk of sustaining a TBI.
SYMPTOMS OF MILD TBI (mTBI) / CONCUSSION:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Excessive Fatigue (tiredness)
- Concentration Problems
- Forgetting Things (memory problems)
- Irritability
- Balance Problems
- Vision Change
- Sleep Disturbance
RECOVERY FROM TBI:
- Get plenty of sleep at night and rest during the day.
- Return to normal activities gradually, not all at once.
- Until you are better, avoid activites that can lead to a second brain injury such as contact or recreational sports. Remember to use helmets and safety belts to decrease your risk of having a second brain injury.
- Don't drink alcohol; it may slow your brain recovery and it puts you at risk of further injury.
- If it's harder to remember things, write them down.
- If you find you are losing important items, begin putting them in the same place at all times.
- If you are easily distracted or having difficulty concentrating, try doing only one thing at a time in a quiet, non-distracting environment.
- If you feel irritable, then remove yourself from the sitiuation that's irritating you or use relaxation techniques to help mange the situation. Irritability is worse when you are tired, so rest will help.
- Be patient! Healing from a brain injury takes time.
- Contact your local Brain Injury Association.
Below of some printable fact sheets that you may find helpful. For information via mail, please contact the BIA of MS at 601-981-1021 or email dpierce@msbia.org.
Make the Connection - Shared Experiences and Support for Veterans with Brain Injury
