Understanding Brain Injuries

Brain injury is unpredictable in its consequences. Brain injury affects who we are, the way we think, act and feel. It can change everything about us in a matter of seconds. The most important things to remember include:

  • A person with a brain injury is a person first.
  • No two brain injuries are exactly the same.
  • The effects of a brain injury are complex and vary greatly from person to person.
  • The effects of a brain injury depend on such factors as cause, location, and severity.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

A TBI is caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain. Not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI. The severity of a TBI may range from “mild,” i.e., a brief change in mental status or consciousness to “severe,” i.e., an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia after the injury.

2.4 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Injury Prevention, the leading causes of TBI are:

  • Falls (35.2%)
  • Motor vehicle-traffic crashes (17.3%)
  • Struck by/against events (16.5%)
  • Assaults (10%)

Acquired Brain Injury

An acquired brain injury is an injury to the brain, which is not hereditary, congenital, degenerative, or induced by birth trauma. An acquired brain injury is an injury to the brain that has occurred after birth.

There is sometimes confusion about what is considered an acquired brain injury. By definition, any traumatic brain injury (e.g., from a motor vehicle accident, or assault) could be considered an acquired brain injury. In the field of brain injury, acquired brain injuries are typically considered any injury that is nontraumatic. Examples of acquired brain injury include stroke, near drowning, lack of oxygen to the brain, tumor, neurotoxins, electric shock or lightening strike.

An Injured Brain

When a brain injury occurs, the functions of the neurons, nerve tracts, or sections of the brain can be affected. If the neurons and nerve tracts are affected, they can be unable or have difficulty carrying the messages that tell the brain what to do. This can change the way a person thinks, acts, feels, and moves the body. Brain injury can also change the complex internal functions of the body, such as regulating body temperature; blood pressure; bowel and bladder control. These changes can be temporary or permanent. They may cause impairment or a complete inability to perform a function.

www.biausa.org

 

Online Information You Can Trust

If you know how to use the Internet, chances are you’ve done a random search for health information. You’ve searched “cardiac rehabilitation” or “stroke outcomes” or “spinal injury” and you were met with thousands of results that ranged from logical to terrifying and everything in between. But how do you know what information is correct? What sites should you trust? While talking with your physician is always the best source of information, doing your own research can give you a good foundation for understanding basic medical terms and processes as well as helping to form a language for asking questions.

When looking for health information, you should look to websites that present the same researched, peer-reviewed, and up-to-date information that your physicians are getting. These websites take scholarly results, like your physicians read in medical journals and hear at conferences, and make them accessible to the public. For this type of reliable information we suggest turning to one of these websites:

  • The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) – Most people associate the CDC with infectious diseases, but their research and website covers much more than the flu and Ebola. Their site has valuable information on our nation’s most pervasive conditions – heart disease, cancer, diabetes — as well as just about any other condition you might search for. The website also contains information on healthy living, traveler health, emergency preparedness, and much more.
  • The National Institutes of Health (NIH) – The National Institutes of Health is a clearinghouse for up-to-date health research and information. What’s presented on their website (and through their branch institutes’ sites) is reader-friendly, cutting edge health news. The NIH funds medical research across the country and is a top-tier source for reliable health information.
  • National Associations, such as American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, and American Stroke Association, just to name a few. These sites not only present helpful, practical information but they also have stories of success and encouragement.
  • But what if you still have the urge to type things into a search engine and see what comes up?
  • The National Institute on Aging , a branch of the NIH, gives this helpful checklist to help you determine if the health information you are reading can be trusted.

A QUICK CHECKLIST

  1. Can you easily see who sponsors the website?
  2. Is the sponsor a Federal agency or a medical school, or is it related to one of these?
  3. Can you find the mission or goal of the sponsor of the website?
  4. Can you see who works for the agency or organization and who is the author? Is there contact information?
  5. Can you tell when the information was written?
  6. Is your privacy protected?
  7. Does the website make claims that seem too good to be true? Are quick, miraculous cures promised?

The most important advice that we can give you regarding online health information is this: If you are experiencing troubling health symptoms, always see a physician. And certainly, if it seems like an emergency, as in the case of a stroke, heart attack, fall, etc., call 911. Online health information can help us understand our diagnosis or that of a loved one, but it takes a health professional to diagnosis and treat disease or injury.

Resources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/online-health-information

Eating Out and Staying Healthy

There are many facets to living a healthy lifestyle. Regular exercise and a healthy diet are the obvious ones. A healthy diet is easiest when you do the cooking yourself. You can control what goes into the dish which controls the calories and nutrition of the whole meal.

But sometimes, a person just needs a break from their daily routine. A chance to recharge and regroup before starting all over again the next day. The solution can be as simple as a meal outside the house.

We know that when you’re watching what you eat, staying healthy when eating out can cause stress or guilt which are not relaxing feelings. Luckily, more restaurants are evolving their menus to fit the demand for healthier, calorie friendly options. We’ve got a satisfying selection of restaurants in the Corpus Christi area that are offering healthier menu options:

RESTAURANTS WITH HEALTHY OPTIONS

These restaurants provide a simple way to indulge without derailing your weight loss and fitness goals. They are also a great way to beat the heat of the stove without all the guilt.

WHEN THERE’S NO LIGHT MENU

What about those times, though, when a healthy menu isn’t available? It can be pretty easy to give yourself a free pass for the night and feel bad about it later. You can’t always control where you eat, either. We’ve got some tips you can use to achieve satisfaction and avoid over-indulgence:

  • Choose water or unsweetened tea to go with your meal. Allow your food to provide your calories for you, rather than a sugary drink.
  • Keep the dressing on the side. By starting your meal with a serving of vegetables, you’ll satisfy your body’s needs for nutrients and set the stage for a healthier meal. Putting the dressing on the side allows you to use the amount you need, rather than the amount you’re given.
  • Order the “small” or “half” portion. Many restaurants offer a “half size” of their entrees, which will help you indulge without overeating.
  • Pack leftovers right away. Ask for a to-go box as soon as your food is delivered. Immediately packing half of your meal removes the excess food from your vision and ensures a delicious meal for tomorrow.
  • Share an entrée and appetizer. Appetizers, unfortunately, often lead to overeating. Many people end up eating enough for a meal before their entrees even reach the table. If you must have those bacon-wrapped shrimp, try sharing them with your dining partner. You could also choose to split your entrée, which would result in a satisfying meal that doesn’t hurt your wallet.

Here at Corpus Christi Rehabilitation Hospital, we love being able to share with our patients the healthy lifestyle options Corpus Christi has to offer. If you have more tips or another favorite restaurant that offers light options, we’d be thrilled to hear from you.

Sources:

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/healthy-eating-tips/tips-for-eating-out.html

Starting a Health Journal

There is an importance of compiling a medical history, and while a record of your medical history is essential to your doctor-patient relationship, there are even more ways to improve on it.

One of those ways is by keeping a health journal, which is a very detailed record of your daily activities, diet, medications, and feelings.

Reasons to keep a health journal:

A health journal can be a great way to keep track of the general state of your body, the effectiveness of your current lifestyle, and weight loss progress. The ability to look back on your previous activities and food consumption provides an accurate and expansive window through which you can assess your habits, and make decisions based off of the information you’ve collected.

Many people with chronic pain or concerning symptoms rely on a health journal to stay on top of their medical issues and improve communication with their physicians. Cross-referencing flare-ups and symptomatic occurrences with activities and foods can shed light on triggers.

What to record in your health journal:

Sleep: How did you sleep the night before? How long did you sleep? What time did you go to bed, and what did you do before you fell asleep?

Medications: If you take any medications, vitamins, or supplements, record what they are and when you take them.
Physical Activity: Any exercise or out-of-the-ordinary strenuous activity can have a significant impact on your health, and should definitely be included.

Symptoms: Any physical symptoms you experience should be recorded in detail. What time you experience them and the level of severity and length should be noted.

Food/Drink: Record anything you consume throughout the day, and be as detailed as possible. What did you eat, and how much? Where did you eat? Who prepared the food?

Emotions: Health is about more than simply the physical aspects. Being aware of your mood and recording any drastic changes is essential to health tracking.

 Helpful hints/how to get started:

Talk to your doctor. Even if you are starting a journal simply for general health observation, it can be very helpful to ask your doctor what to include. Based on your medical history, he or she might have specific concerns or insight that will aid in accuracy and effectiveness.

Find a journal that works for you. The options for a health journal are endless. Even something as simple as a one subject notebook with each day’s date at the top of the page can work if that’s a format that you favor. There are also options for printable journal pages, and even apps that keep all of your information on your smart device.

Keep your journal in an easily-accessible place. Whether it’s your kitchen, purse, or bathroom, keep your health journal in a place that you frequently visit or use. The kitchen is usually ideal, because foods, beverages, and medicines are often found there. Recording what you eat is much easier when the diary is close to the refrigerator.

Be honest. Recording false or altered information, for whatever reason, will only deter your efforts as you try to assess your health. Remember that your doctor is on your side, and that open communication is essential to the doctor/patient relationship.

We hope you’ll find these tips useful in enhancing your health care experience. We deeply value honesty between our patients and team members, and a health journal can be an incredible tool in that line of communication.