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Grades of TBI

You have to take seriously even a mild traumatic brain injury or TBI. Visit the experts in brain neurology at Neuro Injury Specialists whenever you or someone you love gets into an accident or receives a direct blow to the head. The specialists at this NY and NJ clinic diagnose the grade of TBI and begin appropriate TBI protocols immediately. The sooner you get the right type of treatment, the better chance you have of avoiding serious complications.

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    Why Do I Need to Know the Grades of Traumatic Brain Injuries?

    Traumatic Brain InjuryA traumatic brain injury (TBI), which is a brain injury usually caused by a blow to the head, is frequently classified into grades based on the severity of the trauma. Each grade of TBI poses its own set of diagnostic and treatment issues, that can only be handled by experienced brain injury specialists.

    Doctors determine the extent of an injury and plan the proper treatment based on the TBI grades, which include:

    • Mild TBI
    • Moderate TBI
    • Severe TBI

    For the most effective and comprehensive evaluation and treatment of a traumatic brain injury, rely on the expertise of the doctors at Neuro Injury Specialists in the NY and NJ area. Dr. Mark Cohen, Dr. Dmitriy Dvoskin and Dr. Leon Reyfman have vast experience in treating traumatic brain injuries, giving them an edge in recognizing grades of TBI as well as their treatment.

    Their practice also offers treatment of other neurological conditions including:

    What Is Mild TBI?

    Mild traumatic brain Injury (mTBI) is a neurological condition caused by a direct blow to the head or a fast acceleration or deceleration of the head.

    Commonly observed symptoms include:

    • Headaches that persist or worsen
    • Problems with short-term memory and trouble concentrating
    • Sensitivity to light and noise
    • Irritability, mood swings and emotional difficulties
    • Sleep pattern changes, such as insomnia or increased sleepiness

    Falls, sports injuries, accidents, attacks, and blast trauma can all result in mTBI. People who have epilepsy, certain movement abnormalities or neurodegenerative diseases may experience exacerbated underlying ailment after an accident or fall.

    Grades of Traumatic- Brain Injury

    What Is Moderate TBI?

    A moderate traumatic brain injury is one that’s more serious than a mild TBI. The symptoms might vary considerably and may involve a prolonged loss of consciousness — from a few minutes to many hours.

    Other signs and symptoms include:

    • Physical symptoms. This includes headaches, nausea, vomiting, weariness, drowsiness and balance or coordination issues.
    • Behavioral symptoms. Confusion, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, sluggish thinking and executive function impairments are examples of symptoms.
    • Communication symptoms. Slurred voice and difficulty finding the correct words are examples of speech or language difficulties.
    • Sleep Issues. Insomnia, excessive sleeping and interrupted sleep habits may occur when you have a moderate TBI.

    Moderate TBIs are caused by falls, motor vehicle accidents, assaults, sports-related incidents, accidental blows, bicycle accidents, domestic violence, and exposure to explosive blasts. Before planning your moderate TBI treatment, your doctor first identifies the cause.

    What Is Severe TBI?

    Severe traumatic brain injury is a type of brain injury that causes significant damage to the brain. TBI patients frequently have a lengthy loss of consciousness that lasts more than 24 hours. In exceptional cases, the loss of consciousness can be sudden and severe.

    Other signs and symptoms include:

    • Significant cognitive deficiencies affecting memory, attention, concentration and executive skills
    • Neurological problems, such as paralysis, weakness, sensory abnormalities and issues with coordination
    • Seizures that happen right away or develop later
    • Speech and language problems
    • Substantial motor dysfunction, which affects coordination, balance and motor abilities
    • Sleep pattern changes, such as insomnia or excessive drowsiness

    Severe TBIs are caused by high-impact situations such as car accidents, falls from great heights, assaults, sports-related injuries and explosive bursts. Severe TBIs can cause long-term sensory problems, such as vision or hearing loss.

    How Different Are Treatment Options for the Different Grades of TBI?

    Whereas the main focus for all TBI grades is to reduce pain and improve quality of life, treatment for different grades of TBI have some similarities and differences.

    The main aspects of the treatment plan include:

    • Mild TBI. Treatment for mild TBI includes rest, a gradual return to normal activities and symptom control. Rest, both cognitive and physical, improves healing. Monitoring for persistent symptoms is important.
    • Moderate TBI. Treatment for moderate TBI includes hospitalization, intensive rehabilitation and medication. To enhance healing and reduce long-term impacts, an integrated approach targets cognitive and physical function.
    • Severe TBI. Treatment for severe TBI requires immediate medical care, which may include surgery to treat brain bleeding or swelling. Then comes intensive care, life support and rehabilitation. Complications are managed by multidisciplinary teams with the goal of restoring cognitive and physical function.

    Neurologists, neurosurgeons, rehabilitation specialists and compassionate doctors with extensive experience in managing all grades of TBIs make up the entire team of Neuro Injury Specialists. If you are experiencing similar symptoms then don’t hold off, immediately contact Dr. Cohen and Dr. Dvoskin at Neuro Injury Specialists.