Traumatic Brain Injury And GyroStim Therapy

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were approximately 2.87 million traumatic brain injury (TBI) related emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and deaths in the US. Eight-hundred and thirty-seven of these health events were among children. Concussions — often occurring from sports injuries — are the largest cause of TBI among children. The CDC has found that fifteen percent of high school students reported at least one concussion in the previous year.

NeuroPerformance Brain Center always urges people who suspect they have a concussion or another type of TBI to see a healthcare provider immediately. In the event that you have suffered from a traumatic brain injury and are working through recovery, our center offers brain training in Denver using our GyroStim technology, which has helped many of our patients recover from concussions and other TVIs. Learn more about GyroStim and contact our center today to set up an appointment.

In today’s blog we’ll be providing you with basic information about traumatic brain injuries — including symptoms, recovery, and prevention — as well as the ways in which GyroStim helps patients in the recovery process.

Data and Statistics

A traumatic brain injury is a serious injury that results in death and disability for thousands of people each year in the United States. These data and statistics about TBI come from the CDC show trends from 2006-2014.

• The total number of TBI-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths (EDHDs) increased by 53% between 2006 and 2014.
• In 2014, falls were the leading cause of TBI and falls disproportionately affect children and older adults.
• The second leading cause of TBI is being struck by or against an object.
• Motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of death for people 15-34.

Concussions are one type of traumatic brain injury. Concussions are a serious medical condition, but vary in severity. Here are a few statistics concerning concussions taken from UMPC Sports Medicine:

• Between 1.7 and 3 million concussions are related to sports and recreation. 300,000 are football-related.
• 5 in 10 concussions go unreported or undetected — schedule a concussion test at NeuraPerformance Brain Center.
• 2 in 10 high-school athletes who play contact sports will suffer a concussion this year.

NeuraPermance Brain Center in Denver can advise you on concussion tests, concussion treatments, and how GyroStim therapy can help. 

Symptoms of TBI

Every traumatic brain injury is unique, but there are some common symptoms to look out for. Symptoms fall into four categories: thinking/remembering, physical, emotional/mood, and sleep. If you’ve suffered a head injury, carefully monitor yourself — and ask others to look our as well — for the following symptoms:

• Difficulty thinking clearly and difficulty concentrating
• Headache, blurry vision, nausea or vomiting, dizziness
• Sensitivity to noise or light
• Irritability, nervousness or anxiety, and feeling more emotional than usual
• Sleeping more or less than usual or trouble falling asleep

If you or someone else receives a blow or jolt to the head, then you should take them to the emergency room immediately. Severe danger signs include repeated vomiting, slurred speech, convulsions, and loss of consciousness.

Recovery From TBI 

Recovery rates from concussions vary from person to person. Children with concussion symptoms can usually recover within a couple of weeks, but sometimes symptoms last for a month or even longer. GyroStim therapy can help both children and adults recover from concussions and other TBIs.

If you choose to work with the NeuraPerformance Brain Center in Denver, your therapist will consult with you about the recovery process. Generally, recovery from traumatic brain injury follows these four steps:

1. Rest - after a brain injury the head and brain need time to heal. Even limit thinking activities, like reading. In severe cases, you may need to rest in a dark room because of light sensitivity.
2. Light Activity - gradually return to non-strenuous activities like making dinner or tidying up around the house. Avoid screens and loud music, especially before bed.
3. Moderate Activity - when you symptoms are more mild, you can return to most of your regular activities. However, if this causes symptoms to worse or return, back down to light activity. Don’t rush the process — it’ll only make full recovery take longer.
4. Back to regular activity - the goal with brain training and GyroStim therapy is always to get you back to your regular life — including full contact sports — without experiencing any symptoms!

Some people, particularly athletes who have suffered multiple concussions, may have post-concussive syndrome. If this is the case, symptoms will last longer or may get worse after returning to regular activities. If this is the case, you can continue with brain training and GyroStim while working with medical provider.

Brain Training at NeuraPerformance Brain Center

We specialize in brain health, recovery, and brain training. Our state-of-the-art neuraperformance brain center in Denver specializes in enhancing sports performance and helping people recover from traumatic brain injuries. We also perform baseline concussion testing and vestibular therapy using GyroStim technology. Let us work to help you find relief from your TBI symptoms. Schedule an appointment today!