Diagnosing Traumatic Brain Injury: Present Practice and Future Possibilities

Traumatic brain injury is a very scary possibility.  Following any blow to the head, whether ornot there is visible injury, it is important to evaluate the possibility of traumatic braininjury to prevent lethal or disabling consequences.

Signs You Must BeEvaluated

It is impossible to predict the likelihood of brain injuryfrom any given blow to the head. Sometimes people suffer apparently severe head impacts, but suffer noadverse affects, while others can suffer significant, negative consequencesfrom a very minor impact.  Here are somedefinite signs that you should be evaluated for traumatic brain injury aftersuffering a blow to the head or significant whiplash:

·        Dizziness

·        Headaches

·        Tingling, numbness, or pain in the extremities

·        Loss of consciousness

·        Seizures

·        Changes in behavior

·        Changes in sleep patterns

·        Slurred or slowed speech or difficulty speaking

·        Difficulty concentrating

You should also be evaluated if this is your second headimpact in a relatively short period of time. Because traumatic brain injuries are so unpredictable, you should see adoctor if your find yourself feeling generally unwell or "off" insome way after your accident.

Diagnosing TraumaticBrain Injury

Currently, doctors use a combination of three components todetermine whether you have suffered a traumatic brain injury.

A Physical examinvolves first checking the head to see if there is any sign of open headinjury.  Bruising on other parts of thebody are also evaluated as a gauge of how much force the impact may have put onyour brain.  The nurse or doctor willevaluate your alertness and responsiveness. It may also involve an evaluation of your reflexes and neuromuscularresponses, including checking for what is known as the Babinski response inwhich your toes respond abnormally to heel-to-toe stimulation of the outer soleof the foot.

A Questionnaireis used to attempt to evaluate your cognitive ability after your injury.  Your verbal responsiveness is an importantcriteria.  Your mood and intellectualresources--including memory and ability to concentrate--will also be evaluated.

Brain imagingusing a variety of different techniques will also normally be employed.  X-rays are a basic imaging technique that canidentify skull fractures and other large-scale injuries.  MRIs and CT scans can identify manysoft-tissue injuries and sometimes even point to the presence of functionalimpairment as a result of brain injury.

Future Possibilities

Recent discoveries also point to new techniques for directlyimaging and assessing brain injuries. 

In 2006, researchers reported on the development of apromising new technology known as magnetoencephalography(MEG), which has the ability to assess the function of brain networks inreal time with a scan of 45-60 seconds. Subsequent research has already pointed to MEG's improved ability todetect neurological damage over currently used techniques.

In April 2009, researchers were able to use a two-photonmicroscope to examine the way the brain's own immune cells assess andpotentially repair brain damage.  Thismay lead to a new technique for using the body's own mechanisms for identifyingand repairing brain damage at a microscopic level, which may be especiallyimportant in the treatment of diffused axonal injury, a very common result of concussionsthat in the past has been very difficult to diagnose and treat.

Help after Diagnosis

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a traumaticbrain injury, the consequences may be devastating.  The medical and other expenses involved inrecovering from this type of injury may be extremely high.  If your injury was due to the negligence ormisconduct of others, a brain injury lawsuit may be able to help you cover yourexpenses.