Recovery after traumatic brain injury

Rehabilitation after a traumatic brain injury involves a rather complex and lengthy process. Depending on the severity of the damage received, it can provoke a variety of damage to tissues, cells and organs, lead to CNS disorders and disorders of important functions in the body. Therefore, in the process of treating this injury, it is necessary to eliminate pain and normalize the patient's well-being, as well as properly choose a rehabilitation and recovery plan.

Recovery steps

Rehabilitation after TBI is carried out in several stages. Each of them involves qualified and timely assistance to the victim:

1. Prehospital. At this stage, it is necessary to fix the cervical spine, transport it to a medical facility in a horizontal position on the back, treat the wounds to the victim.
2. Hospital. At this stage, basic, surgical and special treatment is carried out.
   1. Basic treatment. It involves monitoring the main indicators (BP, respiration). If necessary, connect to artificial respiration apparatus. Dehydration therapy is prescribed to reduce swelling in the brain. Take analgesics, antipyretics. Nutrition is carried out by means of a probe or intravenously when the patient is in a coma.
   2. Surgical therapy. Provides for the treatment of injuries, elimination of hematomas.
   3. Special therapy. After an injury, in some situations, there are violations of memory, behavior, the patient loses coordination, and speech disorders appear. Based on the conclusions of specialists, a recovery plan is drawn up on an individual basis. Each victim after a traumatic brain injury needs rehabilitation of lost skills. In certain situations, if the injury is severe, recovery in full or in part is not possible. Pharmacological agents are also used: anesthetics, nootropic and vascular substances, vitamin complexes.
3. Intensive. This stage begins when the patient's condition stabilizes and the necessary skills are mastered. Under the supervision of a specialist, a set of exercises is performed aimed at physical development, strengthening the muscles, improving coordination and balance. A physiotherapist will help form a therapy regimen after a traumatic brain injury. Various methods help to stimulate the processes of rehabilitation and addiction, reduce stress, and contribute to a speedy recovery.
4. Outpatient. When the lost functions are restored to the maximum, in order to rehabilitate after a traumatic brain injury, it is necessary to support the patient. Complications after trauma can haunt the patient throughout life: headache, dizziness, cognitive and emotional impairment. In such situations, you need to choose medications to relieve unpleasant symptoms.

Treatment methods

Recovery after a traumatic brain injury occurs through various therapeutic methods, which include the impact on motor activity, coordination, elimination of speech disorders, psychological and household rehabilitation.

1. Motor rehabilitation. After an injury of moderate and severe degrees, a partial or complete loss of motor functions by the patient can occur. In fact, from the very beginning after the incident, it is necessary to begin measures for rehabilitation, since in such cases one must not waste time. Kinesitherapy. Recovery after TBI is not possible without this technique. Movement therapy helps to restore the lost ability to work in the arms and legs, improve coordination. Treatment begins immediately after injury. Initially, the procedure lasts no more than 20 minutes a day. When the state of health improves, the load increases.
2. Transcranial magnetic stimulation. After TBI, recovery may be delayed and the patient is prescribed auxiliary procedures. The essence of this manipulation is to send short pulses to the cerebral cortex in a non-invasive way. They contribute to the activation of the areas of the brain responsible for movement.
3. Multichannel electrical stimulation. Promotes the speedy recovery of motor functions during the rehabilitation period. Electrodes are attached to the body, which contract the muscles in the order that appears during walking.
4. Stabilization training. It is carried out only in special rehabilitation centers with the use of special equipment by qualified specialists.
5. Space technologies. The patient is dressed in a reflex-stress suit that facilitates movement. It is an external frame for the body, which allows you to optimally distribute the load. Helps to stimulate the muscles and joints.
6. Electrical stimulation inside cells. The rehabilitation of the functioning of the pharynx will be faster if you use this method. It also promotes the return of speech skills by stimulating the speech muscles.
7. Restoration of household skills. Often, the patient loses household skills after a skull injury. Rehabilitation after TBI at home is essential for the overall recovery of the patient. Therefore, you will have to teach the patient everything first: hold the spoon, brush your teeth, etc.
8. Speech rehabilitation. After a TBI, some of the victims have speech disorders. It is necessary to do regular exercises, exercises that are aimed at restoring writing, reading and speech together with a specialist.
   1. The course of therapy includes several stages. At the preliminary stage, a lot of time is devoted to stimulating learning skills. The next stage is the rehabilitation of deliberate extraction of sounds and speech. Then the patient learns to form whole phrases. The last stage is dialogue.
   2. Speech training lasts no more than 20 minutes a day. When improvements are noticeable, the duration is increased to 45 minutes. This technique is associated with the use of medications and physiotherapy in order to restore brain function.
9. Psychological and social adaptation. After a traumatic brain injury, in addition to restoring movement, the patient's social adaptation is important. This should be done by psychologists, as well as relatives of the victim. The patient should not be isolated from his environment. He needs to get used to society, to feel inside it. It is necessary to overcome the unwillingness of the patient to communicate. When it is not possible to eliminate the depressive state through psychological training, it is necessary to use antidepressants. It will be important to create a favorable microclimate within the family.

Counteracting Complications

TBI rehabilitation cannot do without a systematic counteraction to various adverse consequences:

1. Position therapy. After injury from head injury, limbs often take unnatural postures. To relax the muscles, there is a system for laying the limbs in various positions.
2. Heat therapy. Muscles can be relaxed by performing special paraffin applications.
3. Muscle relaxants. The use of pharmacological agents that contribute to a decrease in muscle tone.
4. Massage. Relaxation of tight muscles.

In many situations, the latest treatment methods help to eliminate adverse effects when they are detected in a timely manner. After TBI, difficulties arise that require conservative and surgical therapy. It is necessary to prevent suppuration and inflammation. In this regard, constant monitoring by doctors is necessary.

After a traumatic brain injury, rehabilitation processes should begin without delay. It is extremely important, in addition to physical recovery, to pay due attention to the psychological state of the victim, and also to prevent isolation and isolation. The effectiveness of the therapy will depend on various circumstances, but in many respects on the professionalism of doctors, an effective method of rehabilitation and a favorable mood directly from the patient.

Rehabilitation after a traumatic brain injury - video