Demystifying TBI: Not just a combat related injury

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Did you know falls are the leading cause of TBI-related hospitalizations? Anyone can suffer a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Falls, firearm-related suicide and vehicle accidents are three

common causes of TBI.

However, TBI can occur during other activities such as being exposed to blasts while serving in a combat zone or playing a contact sport.

A TBI can happen in many scenarios, but what exactly is a TBI?

A TBI is an injury to the brain that affects brain function and can have physical and /or psychological symptoms. A TBI may occur when there is a blow or jolt to the head or when an object

penetrates the brain.

When the brain is injured, people can experience a change in consciousness that can range from becoming disoriented and confused to slipping into a coma. Events that cause head injuries may

result in memory loss (amnesia)  immediately before or after the incident. It is important to know that while all TBIs are head injuries not all injuries to the head result in a TBI.

The severity of the injury can range from mild (a brief disorientation or loss of consciousness) to severe (an extended loss of consciousness or a penetrating brain injury, like a gunshot

wound to the head). A mild TBI is also known as a concussion.

The severity of a TBI is determined based on a continuum and the particular classification used to designate a person as having mild, moderate or severe injury which can be somewhat

arbitrary. The severity of a TBI is determined at the time of the injury and is based on various factors including:

Whether you may have experienced a TBI event in the battlefield, the playing field, or the bottom of the stairs; it is important to talk to your primary care provider about it. Your primary

care provider can help determine if you need a TBI evaluation.