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Acquired Brain Injury - The Effects
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Headway Black Country specialises in helping people with what is known as:
Acquired Brain Injury
By definition this means any damage to the living brain tissue, which is non degenerative and occurring since birth. This can come about as a result of:
Internal Events
such as blood vessels bursting, stroke or subarachoid haemorrhage, tumours, viruses and infections such as encephalitis.
External Events
such as open or closed brain injuries due to road traffic accidents, sports and recreational injuries and physical assaults.
Acquired brain injury can result in a variety of social, cognitive, behavioural and emotional problems, the most common ones include:
physical disability, memory loss, lack of concentration, impaired language and communication skills, inability to plan, organise and problem solve, fatigue and headaches,reduced tolerance and irritability, disinhibition, mood swings and depression, personality changes, sensory impairments, loss of initiative, epilepsy.
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Facts and Figures
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It is estimated that around 200,000 people each year experience a minor brain injury, where the loss of consciousness is 15 minutes or less. This includes instances of concussion, where the individual may experience only momentary dizziness and disorientation. Most of these people will walk away from hospital with few outward signs of the injury, and make a full recovery within 3 - 6 months.
At the other end of the scale, around 11,000 people annually sustain severe brain injury. Unconscious for over 6 hours ( and often considerably longer), they are likely to have complex long term problems affecting their personality, their relationships and their ability to lead an independent life. Without good rehabilitation, formal support and help in the community, these individuals and their families will face an uncertain and challenging future.
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As previously stated, after a brain injury it is possible for a person to experience a wide variety of problems to a greater or lesser degree. Physical problems such as head pain, dizziness, and loss of taste and smell are commonly reported. They may also experience increased sensitivity to the enviroment, low tolerance to noise and crowded places.
People are also likely to experience problems with thinking skills such as concentration and memory, and perhaps suffer from increased moodiness or irritability.
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The more severe the brain injury, the more pronounced the long term effects are likely to be. A brain injury may result in significant changes to an individuals personality, perhaps behaving inappropriately in social occasions, changes which can result in the breakdown of personal and family relationships.
Difficulties with memory and concentration may affect an individual's ability to work, study or learn new skills. In addition, the person with the brain injury may experience communication problems and could also be left with serious physical disabilities.
How then can a sufferer move on with his or her life?
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Recovery and Rehabilitation
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Damaged brain tissue cannot spring back to life, but research does show that the brain is able to reorganise itself in an attempt to repair and compensate for lost function.
It is generally thought that the brain has spare capcity and that parts of the brain not normally used for a particular task can adapt themselves to perform functions previously performed by damaged areas. There is evidence to suggest the brain does this by opening up new pathways, particularly in younger people where the brain is more adaptable.
Just as exercising damaged muscles and joints often helps to make them stronger, so exercising the brain will help it to reorganise itself. In order for this to happen, there needs to be sufficient stimulation in the form of social and mental activity. Equally important is re-learning socially acceptable behaviour and regaining a sense of self.
Headway Black Country has therefore dedicated itself to providing a programme of multi-disciplinary events and activities which will allow its clients to return to community living, pursue social outlets, and so live a full and rewarding life.
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