CROM offers comprehensive consultations for traumatic brain injuries as well as neurological disorders including Botox injections for cervical dystonia, upper extremity spacticity, and chronic migraine, and Electrodiagnostic Medicine (EMG/NVC).

What Defines a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury?

  • Any period of loss of consciousness
  • Any loss of memory for events immediately before or after the accident
  • Any alteration in mental state at the time of the accident (e.g. feeling dazed, disoriented or confused)
  • Focal neurological deficit(s) that may or may not be transient
  • The severity of the injury does not exceed the following:
    1. Post traumatic amnesia (PTA) less than 24 hours
    2. After 30 minutes, an initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 13-15
    3. Loss of consciousness of 30 minutes or less

Determining Grades of Concussion

  • Grade 1: Signs and Symptoms of Concussion that last < 15 Minutes
  • Grade 2: Signs and Symptoms of Concussion that last > 15 Minutes
  • Grade 3: Any loss of consciousness

Signs & Symptoms of Concussion

  • Loss of consciousness
  • Vacant stare
  • Delayed responses
  • Incoherent speech
  • In-coordination
  • Inappropriate
    Emotionality
  • Memory Problems

DSM-IV Definition of Post-Concussive Syndrome:

  • Fatigue
  • Sleep disorder
  • Headache
  • Anxiety
  • Apathy
  • Irritability / Aggression
  • Vertigo / Dizziness
  • Depression / Lability
  • Personality changes

Outcome for Mild TBI Patients

A majority of mild TBI patients make a full recovery within three months of the injury. (Binder, Rohling, and Larrabee 1997; Rutherford, et.al., 1979; McLean, et.al., 1983)

However, the size of the minority who become chronically symptomatic varies from 7-8% (Binder, 1997) to 10-20% (Alexander, 1995) to an even higher estimate of approximately one third (Rimel, et al, 1981).

General agreement exists in the literature that a minority of mild TBI patients experience persistent symptoms.