The Path to Recovering from a Traumatic Brain Injury

As we mark Brain Injury Awareness Month, which occurs in March of each year, I'm heartened to see progress in the attention given to the needs of TBI patients through new research initiatives, books dedicated to recovery, and more extensive resources within the TBI community. Still, much about healing the brain after trauma remains a mystery. As we continue to uncover the brain’s ability to rewire itself due to neuroplasticity, further efforts are needed to address the silent epidemic of brain injuries, particularly in the area of diagnosis and treatment in the months and years after the injury.

Hearing the stories from my patients recovering from brain trauma in my 30-plus years of working with car accident survivors, one thing is clear. As we navigate and explore the vast sequelae post-injury, it is the voices of the patients that we must closely listen to in order to gain a clearer understanding of which therapeutic tools and treatments can assist them in recovering functionality. From a clinical perspective, the most effective treatments need to operate from the principle that no two brains and no two brain injuries are the same.

In their book on living with post-concussion syndrome, Understanding and Living Well With Post-Concussion Syndrome, Dr. Priyanka Pradhan and TBI survivor Anna Leggett paint an insightful picture of life post-concussion and draw much-needed attention to the fact that we still know so little about the overall impact of what is labeled a “mild” traumatic brain injury, or mTBI. As so many of my mTBI patients will attest to, the term “mild” is a grave understatement when used to describe their extensive symptomology and the immense challenges they face on a daily basis, despite having experienced brief or no loss of consciousness at the time of injury.

The Brain Injury Association of America uses the terms "mTBI" and "concussion" interchangeably, which many find surprising as we’ve come to accept that sustaining a concussion from playing sports is an all too common occurrence. Given the particular fragility of a developing brain, further efforts toward treating and preventing concussions in children and teenagers are long overdue.

Tips for Brain Injury Recovery

In my role as a certified brain injury specialist, the questions I’m asked most often are:

• “What are the effects of my brain injury?”
• “Will I get better?”
• “What can I do to get better?”
• “How do I explain my injury to people?”

I tell them that healing takes time and can often feel like five steps forward and four steps back. In the days and weeks after sustaining a head injury, you may experience headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, mental confusion, difficulty with speech, thinking, balance, coordination, memory, focus, concentration, changes to your vision, sensitivity to noise and light, tinnitus, mood changes and difficulty falling or staying asleep.

Many symptoms resolve after the first few months but a great deal of the deleterious effects on brain functioning can last for years. Brain structures are often irrevocably altered. However, we are now learning that your brain continues to rewire itself and heal over the course of your lifetime.

In my book, Recovering From Your Car Accident, I cover some of the top tips for brain injury recovery. Having a knowledgeable healthcare team focused on neurorehabilitation efforts which can include psychotherapy; neurological physiotherapy; and occupational, speech, vision, and language therapy is key.

Many of my patients find that taking supplements such as omega 3s, vitamin D, vitamin B12, acetyl l-carnitine, and probiotics is helpful for managing symptoms. In particular, they report that vitamin D helps to lessen fatigue, and that omega 3s and vitamin B12 help to improve mood, memory, focus and concentration. On top of that, maintaining a healthy diet rich in antioxidants and high in anti-inflammatory foods is essential to recovering brain function.

It’s important to resume a moderate amount of exercise in the weeks following your injury; however, learn to listen to your body to know when it’s time to rest. It can be a tricky balancing act between stimulating your brain and body to aid your recovery and becoming overstimulated and fatigued when you mentally or physically overexert yourself.

Practicing good sleep hygiene along with stress management techniques including a meditation practice and deep breathing techniques such as the Wim Hof breathing method can help to reduce anxiety and inflammation in both your brain and body. Some TBI sufferers have found that hyperbaric oxygen therapy, craniosacral therapy, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) accelerate their recovery by increasing oxygen levels and blood flow throughout the brain.

Traumatic Brain Injury Essential Reads

Concussions Among College Students Warrant Greater Attention

Long Football Careers Linked to Impulsivity and Brain Damage

Due to the fact that mTBIs are not visible, with the majority also not showing up on a scan, it can often be extremely challenging to explain your symptoms to your loved ones and receive all of the support that you need. Family members and friends may struggle to understand the changes in your personality and behavior, including mood swings.

The spoon theory developed by lupus patient advocate Christine Miserandino can be an excellent way to explain what it’s like living with a traumatic brain injury. Using spoons as a metaphor for energy, the concept illustrates how with a chronic health condition you begin each day with fewer spoons than a healthy person, and each activity throughout the day takes away more spoons than it would if you weren’t dealing with debilitating physiological or psychological symptoms.

Receiving mental health support is crucial to TBI healing. It can often also be useful to attend all healthcare appointments, including psychotherapy, with your family members to help them gain knowledge on your condition, understand your symptoms, and come to better know what to expect.

Through living with a TBI, you will experience a different way of being in the world, a “new normal.” Take it one day at a time. Focus on post-traumatic growth by developing deeper, more meaningful connections with others and creating new life goals.

You may be pleasantly surprised to discover skills and talents you didn’t possess before your injury. You may also find that you gain a more profound appreciation for the beauty and magic of life.