August 30th, 2010
What you can do to protect your elderly loved ones from Traumatic Brain Injury caused by nursing home neglect.
Nursing home neglect is one of the primary causes of traumatic brain injury(TBI) in the elderly. One of the most difficult parts of handling TBI cases is seeing the way in which some nursing facilities treat elderly individuals. At a time when they are owed the most respect, senior citizens are sometimes neglected by thoughtless and underpaid caregivers.
By the time families discover the abuse, it is often too late. Elderly relatives come away with damaged self-esteem and serious physical ailments. The elderly are prone to head injuries from falls and other hazards. Some families only find out about abuse after a loved one dies at the hands of a negligent caregiver. Read the rest of this entry »
August 26th, 2010
Concussions and other types of traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be serious events leading to permanent disability or even death, yet up to 85 percent of TBI cases go undetected in emergency rooms.
Early signs of TBI are often undetectable by MRI or CT scans because the brain reacts to injury by increasing sugar levels to handle the heightened activity. Symptoms of TBI may not appear for hours or even days after an accident, and it is not uncommon for the victim to walk away from the accident and not yet realize that anything is wrong. It is very important to know the signs and symptoms of a concussion or any other TBI since you may need to act as your own medical advocate if you find yourself in an accident. Read the rest of this entry »
August 24th, 2010
Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, afflicts two million adults and children each year in the United States. TBI is also a leading cause of disability and death among children. Despite these grim statistics, the FDA has not been able to approve a new treatment for these devastating injuries in over 30 years. However, a new phase III clinical trial headed by Emory University is attempting to develop progesterone treatments for brain injuries. Preliminary findings have been exciting.
Previous research tested progesterone on 100 patients. The rate of death was significantly higher, 30 percent, for the placebo group than for the group given progesterone, of which 13 percent died from their head injuries. Progesterone has been shown as a safe treatment for other conditions and preliminary studies involving TBI patients show no harmful side effects. Read the rest of this entry »
August 21st, 2010
You’re more likely to die in a car accident than in a plane crash, a shark attack or any of the common fears that plague people in the air and ocean. But on the street, millions of people play the odds every day. Most of those millions reach their destinations unharmed, but others suffer from the actions of a negligent driver.
As dangerous as an accident may be for the car’s occupants, it’s even worse for pedestrians. The interior of a car is filled with safety features that, when used correctly, provide a substantial measure of protection. For the unfortunate pedestrian, however, there is a much higher likelihood of death than there is for anyone else involved in the accident.
Modern cars have airbags, seat belts and crumple zones; none of these things can help the person outside of the car when a couple of tons of metal are approaching at high velocity. Electric cars make very little noise and are silent upon approach, heightening the danger for pedestrians. Read the rest of this entry »
August 20th, 2010
Acquired Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in small children is often a result of dysfunctional homes, mired in poverty, but it can also turn up in place where it is least expected. Even the children of the most careful parents can acquire TBI when daycare providers are negligent.
While TBI in the daycare setting is rare, its serious nature, along with other risks children face in poor quality daycare facilities, compels parents to be extraordinarily vigilant in investigating a daycare provider before deciding to place their children in another’s care. Read the rest of this entry »
