10 common myths and misconceptions about traumatic brain injury

TEN OF THE MOST COMMON MYTHS AND MISPERCEPTIONS ABOUT TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY FOR PATIENTS TO KNOW

Edward K. LeEdward K. Le, PLLC

135 Park Ave N.Renton, Wa 98056

425 336 [email protected]

EDWARD K. LE, PLLC, www.edwardkle.comcopyright©2014

http://www.edwardkle.com/



MYTH #1:

A Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Causes Little Impact on Life




MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY AFFECTS EVERY FACET OF PERSON’S LIFE

Functionality

Ongoing Medical Care Needs

Quality of Life

Earlier Nursing Home Enrollment

Activities of Dailiy Living

FACT




IN A REPORT FROM THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL TO THE U.S. CONGRESS, MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY CAN HAVE PROFOUND IMPACT AND CAUSE LIFELONG DISABILITY
















• Of the estimated 1,500,000 people who sustain TBI’s each year in the United States:

•1.1 million treated & released from an Emergency Dept.

•235,000 hospitalized

•50,000 die

•80,000 experience onset of long-term effects from a TBI

•5.3 million Americans living with a disability as a result of a TBI

FROM CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROLEDWARD K. LE,

PLLC, www.edwardkle.comcopyright©2014



Estimated annual costs from TBI’s:

$56.3 billion EDWARD K. LE, PLLC, www.edwardkle.comcopyright©2014



MYTH #2:

There Must Be Impact to Head to Cause Brain Injury




RAPID MOVEMENT OR ACCELERATION/ DECELERATION CAN DAMAGE BRAIN TISSUEFACT




RAPID ACCELERATION/ DECELERATION CAN CAUSE BRAIN TISSUE TO DAMAGE THROUGH IMPACT WITH HARD BONY INNER RIDGES OF SKULL

FACT

THIS IS KNOWN AS A COUP-CONTRECOUP INJURY EDWARD K. LE, PLLC, www.edwardkle.comcopyright©2014



MYTH #3:

There Must Be “Loss of Consciousness” to Sustain A Traumatic Brain Injury




Profound Brain Damage Can Occur Without Loss of ConscioussnessFACT

Case of Phineas Gage [Standard Case Study in Medical School]: Struck By Long Metal Rod into Brain During Explosion. He Never Lost Consciousness & Was Awake and Alert When He Reached a Doctor Hours later

Center for Disease Control, World Health Organization, and American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine All Define Brain Injury As “Any Alteration in Consciousness”

FACT




MYTH #4:

A Negative Brain MRI or CT Scan Rules Out a Traumatic Brain Injury

In Mild TBI, Most Damage to Brain is Microscopic & Rarely Shows Up on MRI or CT ScanFACT

Normal Axons Are Less Than 5 Microns – Less Than Size Threshold for Detection by MRI or CT

Billions of Axons Can Be Damaged Without Detection By MRI or CT Through ShearingFACT

Diffuse Shearing of Billions of Axon Occurs in Traumatic Brain InjuryFACT




MYTH #6:

CHILDREN WITH BRAIN INJURY RECOVER BETTER THAN ADULTS




According to Center for Disease Control , Children May Require Longer Recovery Time After a TBIFACT




A Younger Brain Is More Vulnerable to Damage Because As Undeveloped Portions Mature From Previously Damaged Areas, Normal Development Is Hard to Predict.

FACT




MYTH #7:

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Victims Recover Quickly




MILD BRAIN INJURY CAN HAVE PROFOUND IMPACT OVER A LIFETIMEFACT

ACCORDING TO CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL, PEOPLE WITH MILD BRAIN INJURY MAY EXPERIENCE ACCELERRATED COGNITIVE AND FUNCTIONAL DECLINE WITH AGE

EDWARD K. LE, PLLC, www.edwardkle.com



BRAIN INJURY CAUSES PEOPLE TO DEVELOP DEGENERATIVE NEUROLOGICAL DEFICTS AS THEY AGE OVER TIME

FACT




MYTH #8:

Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury Will Be ImmediatelyEvident




MOST PATIENTS ARE NOT SELF-AWARE OF COGNITIVE DEFICTS UNTIL OTHERS TELL THEMFACT




MOST PATIENTS ARE NOT SELF-AWARE UNTIL ENOUGH TIME PASSES TO WHERE THEY RECOGNIZE A PART OF THEM IS “MISSING”

FACT




PATIENTS WITH BRAIN INJURY USUALLY SUFFER OTHER PHYSICAL AND BODILY PAIN THAT DIVERT THEIR AWARENESS OF COGNITIVE PROBLEMS

FACT




MYTH #9:

YOU CAN RECOGNIZE A PERSON WITH A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY




BRAIN INJURY SYMPTOMS ARE MANIFESTED INTERNALLY AND SYMPTOMS ARE NOT OBVIOUS TO ORDINARY PERSON.

FACT




MOST TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY VICTIMS DISGUISE THEIR INJURY TO OTHERS FOR FEAR OF BEING INTERPRETED “INADEQUATE” OR “CRAZY”

FACT




TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY IS KNOWN AS AN INVISIBLE INJURY AND A SILENT EPIDEMICFACT




MYTH #10:

Any Medical Doctor Can Detect a Person Who Sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury




ACCORDING TO THE A.M.A AND NUMEROUS PUBLISHED RESEARCH , MOST DOCTORS ARE NOT PROPERLY TRAIN TO DIAGNOSE A BRAIN INJURY

FACT




BEST PRACTICE FOR MOST PHYSICIANS IS TO REFER PATIENT FOR NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING WHICH IS MORE EXTENSIVE

FACT




NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION IS MORE DETAILED THAN A MEDICAL VISIT AND PROVIDES OBJECTIVE EVIDENCE OF SPECIFIC COGNITIVE DEFICITS

FACT




Edward K. LeEdward K. Le, PLLC

135 Park Ave N.Renton, Wa 98056

425 336 2255www.edwardkle.com

[email protected]

The Seattle Brain Injury Law Firm of Edward K. Le, PLLC and its attorneys has extensive experience in handling claims and representing victims of traumatic brain injury who were injured by auto accidents, truck accidents, construction falls, worksite accidents, medical malpractice, slip or trip falls, stairway falls, maritime or boating injuries, guardrail defects, elevator defects, merchandise falling at stores, and head injury from assaults in bars or nightclubs.


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10 common myths and misconceptions about traumatic brain injury