Although not all brain injuries are considered "traumatic" or result in brain trauma, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the function of the brain.
The severity of such an injury 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. A TBI can result in short or long-term problems with independent function.
About 1.4 million people sustain a TBI each year in the United States. Of these,
- 50,000 die,
- 235,000 are hospitalized, and
- 1.1 million are treated and released from an emergency department.
There are a number of problems association with TBI:
- A wide range of functional changes affecting thinking, sensation, language, and/or emotions
- Epilepsy
- Increased risk for conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other brain disorders that become more prevalent with age
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