Head injuries are very common in childhood, accounting for 600,000 visits to the emergency room each year in the United States. Clinical examination alone may not be able to detect internal damage.
Trying to remain mentally well is one of the most serious challenges facing military servicemen and women who are on the battlefront and veterans at home.
Veterans can identify the headaches, loss of consciousness and dizziness that characterize a mild brain injury. But a number of other symptoms unrelated to the injury incorrectly get caught up in the mix.
One major hit to the head is all it takes. Trouble focusing, headaches, lightheadedness and other symptoms can stick around with patients who have a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI).
Head injuries can come with an unpredictable recovery process. Coping with the physical and mental stress of a traumatic brain injury may lead to short-term substance abuse.
