Traumatic Brain Injury

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Introduction A tampering rod through the head is how 25-year-old Phineas Gage became the most notable case of Traumatic Brain injury of the 19th century. With more than 1.7 million people each year who sustain an injury, why does this one case become so interesting? The reason behind this is the result of the injury. When Gage had the tampering rod penetrate his skull it completely changed his personality. From a once mild mannered individual to a foul mouth and persistent person, Gage became interesting cases in history. Gage starts us off with our topic of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) because in the US there are around 50,000 deaths, 270,000 hospitalizations, and 1.36 million who are treated and released to go home (Alzheimers Organization, 2014). A TBI is defined when an external mechanical force causes brain dysfunction. Causes There are many different causes of traumatic brain injury. When a person falls, gets in an accident, or is hurt while playing sports there is always a possibility of brain injury. “Those aged 75 and older have the highest rates of traumatic brain injury-related hospitalization and death due to falls”. (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2013) There are three different levels of TBI that doctors are known to classify them as. These include mild, moderate, and severe. A fall of 20 feet (2 stories) onto an unyielding surface for an adult, or a fall of more than 10 feet (2-3 times the height of the child) for a child can cause severe injury in an adult and child. (Mistovich & Karren, 2010) The possibility of having a mild TBI is much more common than to have a severe injury. This does not mean that the injury will not be long lasting. Doctors are able to determine how severe an inj... ... middle of paper ... ...olves pieces being pressed into the brain tissue the other involves a distinct localized injury to the brain; such as from a bullet. Skull fractures called a contusion cause a distinct area of swollen brain tissues mixed with broken blood vessels. When a brain is shaken back and forth within the confines of the skull the injury is called a Countertop. This often occurs in a high-speed car accident and in shaken baby syndrome. This type of injury can also cause injury to the nerves and loss of connections among the nerves called shearing. Contusions can lead to fewer connections in the brain. A hematoma is another type of symptom that someone with a TBI may have. This is when there is heavy bleeding in or around the brain. Works Cited http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/detail_tbi.htm http://www.alz.org/dementia/traumatic-brain-injury-head-trauma-symptoms.asp

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