Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Concussion Syndrome

The past five years of my life were largely dedicated to patients with traumatic brain injuries and comorbidities such as PTSD, depression, pain concerns, etc. TBI can occur from motor vehicle accidents, sports, falls, blasts/explosions (veterans), or other causes. Severity of TBI is often related to loss of consciousness or coma vs not, but even when a patient is told their TBI is mild, it can impact life in severe ways and be difficult to contend with. When symptoms persist (sensory, memory problems, headaches, inattention, etc.), we refer to that as post-concussion syndrome (PCS). Symptoms of PCS require treatment.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and post-concussion syndrome are not easy for a person to go through, nor easy for the patient or their loved ones to understand.

At the forefront of a path to recovery are:

  • Psychoeducation
    (helping people understand the normal course/timeline of symptoms and life outcomes, how to “heal well” and prevent worsening/decline).
  • Assessment
    (neuropsychological, psychological, and functional assessments are often used to provide a comprehensive picture of the status of brain function and cognition, emotions, and functioning – such as sleep, headaches, pain, etc.). Assessments are important for both diagnostic and treatment purposes, and may also be important to document losses and changes for legal reasons at time. Assessment can be used to gauge improvements/changes over time as well.
  • Psychological Treatment Services
    (unique to each individual as determined by assessments and diagnostics that evolve out of them). Services might include:  psychotherapy, CBT, mindfulness, executive function coaching, exposure therapies, behavioral programs, diet coaching to optimize brain function and reduce pain, generating a team of professionals for you or working with providers you might have already (neurologist, general practitioner, OT, speech pathologist, PSW, physical therapist, chiropractor, massage therapist, etc.), and/or referring for additional testing such as variations of brain or neck imaging with/without contrast, etc. Treatment often involves bringing family members into sessions and discussing how these diagnoses impact families and relationships, as well as how to sustain healthy relations.