Also called: Also called: Concussion, TBI, Traumatic brain injury
Every year, millions of people in the U.S. sustain head and brain injuries. Some are minor because the skull is quite good at protecting the brain. More than half are bad enough that people must go to the hospital. Serious head injuries can lead to permanent brain damage or death.
Symptoms of minor head injuries usually go away without treatment. Serious head injuries need emergency treatment. Clues that a head injury may be serious include
- A headache that gets worse or does not go away
- Repeated vomiting or nausea
- Convulsions or seizures
- An inability to awaken from sleep
- Dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes
- Slurred speech
- Weakness or numbness in the arms or legs
- Loss of coordination
- Increased confusion, restlessness or agitation
Treatment and outcome depend on the injury. People with severe injuries usually need rehabilitation.
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Head Injuries: What to Watch for Afterward(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/brain/head/084.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/brain/head/084.printerview.html
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Traumatic Brain Injury: Hope through Research
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/detail_tbi.htm
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/trastornos/el_traumatismo_cerebral.htm
- Traumatic Brain Injury(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/tbi/TBI.htm
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Traumatic Brain Injury(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/tbi.htm
- Types of Brain Injury(Brain Injury Association of America) - http://www.biausa.org/Pages/types_of_brain_injury.html
- Patients in Minimally Conscious State May Still Feel Pain(10/07/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70160.html
- Help Older Adults Live Better, Longer: Prevent Falls and Brain Injury(09/22/2008, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/Features/FallsAndBrainInjury/
- Teaming Up to Protect Young Athletes: Learn to Prevent & Recognize Concussions(09/15/2008, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Concussion/
- Imaging Shows Why Injured Brains 'Work Harder'(09/11/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69185.html
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Computed Tomography (CT): Head(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=headct
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=headct
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Functional MR Imaging (fMRI): Brain(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=fmribrain
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=fmribrain
- Head Trauma: First Aid(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/first-aid-head-trauma/FA00008/METHOD=print
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Neurosurgery - What Is It?
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/whatisneurosurgery/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/whatisneurosurgeryspanish/htm/index.htm
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Heads Up: Preventing Brain Injuries(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/tbi_toolkit/patients/preventing.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/tbi_toolkit/patients/prevencion.htm
- Cognitive Retraining(American Brain Tumor Association) - http://www.abta.org/index.cfm?contentid=199
- Rehabilitative Medicine(American Brain Tumor Association) - http://www.abta.org/index.cfm?contentid=201
- Speech Pathology Services(American Brain Tumor Association) - http://www.abta.org/index.cfm?contentid=202
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Effects and Intervention(American Occupational Therapy Association) - http://www.aota.org/Consumers/Tips/Conditions/TBI/35199.aspx
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Cerebral Hypoxia(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/anoxia/anoxia.htm
- Coma(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/coma/DS00724/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Concussion(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/concussion/DS00320/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
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Concussion in Sports(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/brain/head/458.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/brain/head/458.printerview.html
- Intracranial Hematoma(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/intracranial-hematoma/DS00330/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Post-Concussion Syndrome(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/post-concussion-syndrome/DS01020/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Right Hemisphere Brain Damage(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/RightBrainDamage.htm
- Sports-Related Head Injury(American Association of Neurological Surgeons) - http://www.neurosurgerytoday.org/what/patient_e/sports.asp?link_id=5792
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Brain Injuries and Mass Casualty Events(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.bt.cdc.gov/masscasualties/braininjuriespub.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.bt.cdc.gov/masscasualties/es/braininjuriespub.asp
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Coma(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/coma/coma.htm
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/TBI.htm
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Traumatic Brain Injury: Cognitive and Communication Disorders(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/tbrain.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/spanish/tbrain_span.asp
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Neurosurgery - What Is It?(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/whatisneurosurgery/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/whatisneurosurgeryspanish/htm/index.htm
- Atlas of the Body: The Brain -- Lobes(American Medical Association) - http://www.medem.com/MedLB/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZR9WH46JC&sub_cat=185
- Atlas of the Body: The Brain -- Side View(American Medical Association) - http://www.medem.com/MedLB/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZYUAM46JC&sub_cat=185
- Atlas of the Body: The Skull(American Medical Association) - http://www.medem.com/MedLB/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZCIHWBGJC&sub_cat=523
- Brain Maps(Brain Injury Association of America) - http://www.biausa.org/Pages/brain_maps.html
- Interactive Tour of the Brain(National Brain Tumor Foundation) - http://www.braintumor.org/patent_info/Surviving/brain_anatomy/index.html
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Brain Concussion(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Brain+Concussion%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Brain Injuries(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Brain+Injuries%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Coma(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Coma%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Craniocerebral Trauma(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Craniocerebral+Trauma%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Skull(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Skull%22
- Are We Equal in Death? Avoiding Diagnostic Error in Brain Death(American Academy of Neurology) - http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/full/70/4/e14
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Life and Death of a Neuron(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/ninds_neuron.htm
- Study Examines Activity Levels of High School Students After Sports-Related Concussions(National Athletic Trainers' Association) - http://www.nata.org/newsrelease/archives/000620.htm
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Surgery of cerebral trauma and associated critical care. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18813168&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Blunt solid organ injury: do adult and pediatric surgeons treat... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18784587&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: The impact of substance abuse on mortality in patients with... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18784583&tool=MedlinePlus
- Head and Brain Injuries -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=craniocerebral+trauma[majr]+NOT+(coma[majr]+OR+persistent+vegetative+state[mh]+OR+cerebrospinal+fluid+otorrhea[mh]+OR+cerebrospinal+fluid+rhinorrhea[mh]+OR+cranial+nerve+injuries[mh]+OR+facial+injuries[mh]+OR+rehabilitation[sh]+OR+rehabilitation[majr])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+systematic[sb])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Coma and persistent vegitative state -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=coma[majr]+OR+persistent+vegetative+state[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+systematic[sb]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Rehabilitation after head and brain injuries -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=craniocerebral+trauma[majr]+OR+brain+concussion[majr]+OR+brain+injuries[majr]+AND+(rehabilitation[majr]+OR+rehabilitation+centers[majr])+OR+craniocerebral+trauma/rh[majr]+OR+brain+injuries/rh[majr]+OR+brain+concussion/rh[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(eye+injuries[mh]+OR+letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- head and brain injury - http://vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta?v:project=medlineplus&binning-state=group%3d%3dMedical%20Encyclopedia&query=head+and+brain+injury
- Find a Board-Certified Neurosurgeon(American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons) - http://www.neurosurgerytoday.org/findaneuro/
- Find a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician(American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) - http://www.e-aapmr.org/imis/imisonline/findphys/find.cfm
- Brain Injury Association of America - http://www.biausa.org/
- National Center for Injury Prevention and Control(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/
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National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/
- Bicycle Helmet Use Laws(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) - Links to PDF - http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/TSFLaws/PDFs/810886.pdf
- Abusive Head Trauma (Shaken Baby Syndrome)(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain/shaken.html
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Concussions(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/aches/concussion.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/kid/en_espanol/seguridad/concussion_esp.html
- Head Injuries(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/emergencies/head_injury.html
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Shaken Baby Syndrome(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/shakenbaby/shakenbaby.htm
- Think First for Kids(ThinkFirst National Injury Prevention Foundation) - http://www.thinkfirst.org/kids/
- Traumatic Brain Injury(National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities) - http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs18txt.htm
- What Is a Coma?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/qa/coma.html
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Concussions(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/safety/first_aid/concussions.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/seguridad/concussions_esp.html
- Heads Up: Concussion in High School Sports(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/tbi/CGToolKit/A_Fact_Sheet_For_Athletes.htm
- Think First for Teens(ThinkFirst National Injury Prevention Foundation) - http://www.thinkfirst.org/teens/
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Preventing Traumatic Brain Injury in Older Adults(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - Links to PDF - http://www.cdc.gov/braininjuryinseniors/images/pdfs/PreventingBrainInjury_Booklet_508_080227.pdf
- Brain and Nerves - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/brainandnerves.html
- Injuries and Wounds - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/injuriesandwounds.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Head and Brain Injuries is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Head and Brain Injuries - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/headandbraininjuries.html