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:
- Post traumatic amnesia (PTA) less than 24 hours
- After 30 minutes, an initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 13-15
- 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.