Recovering from Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Mary Ann Keatley, PhD, CCC and Laura L. Whittemore, Brain Injury Hope Foundation
Recovering from Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI)

The Important Role of Brain Filters

Much of the brain’s energy is used to filter out irrelevant or unnecessary information. Just imagine what it would be like with no filter on your brain. All the sounds, smells, images, and feelings would come crashing in at the same time. The overstimulation would probably paralyze you and prevent you from taking any action.

After sustaining MTBI, most of the brain’s energy is diverted to basic functioning, and little is left over for filtering or censoring. Trivial or insignificant thoughts may often have the same weight in your mind as important ones. This can make decisions difficult. You may find that your brain gets stuck on an idea or phrase that keeps replaying, and this uses a great deal of brain energy.

New sensitivities can be very challenging and baffling for the injured person and their loved ones. Going into a restaurant or store where there are fluorescent lights, background music, or a great deal of visual stimuli may cause the brain to shut down. Most people say that they want to get into a quiet place and rest their brain after that experience. That is why it is so important to plan your social activities when fewer people are around and when there is less commotion.

Hearing Problems and Hypersensitivity to Sound

As mentioned above, a common symptom of traumatic brain injury is hypersensitivity to sound. This is called hyperacusis. The auditory system becomes very sensitive to environmental noise, and you may discover that you have great difficulty going to restaurants, the grocery store, or social gatherings.

Many individuals report staying at home to avoid the assault and feelings of being overwhelmed in these noisy situations, or they may go out only at times when places are less crowded and less noisy. Any noise can assault and overwhelm a person with MTBI, including a vibrating refrigerator, heating system, or humming fan, etc.

An excellent accommodation for hyperacusis is ear filters. The actual name is ER 15/25 noise-dampening ear filters. These are custom-fitted earplugs, originally made for musicians, but they now have been adapted for individuals with traumatic brain injuries. Consult an audiologist at a speech and hearing clinic to obtain filters. Current studies show that filters can reduce overstimulation to the auditory system and allow you to participate in social situations without becoming overwhelmed. An advantage of using ear filters is that you can put them in for brief periods of time and take them out when you don’t need them. They can be made with clear materials and are therefore less visible. The ear molds for these filters are made by an audiologist, or a specialist trained in testing hearing and treating hearing problems.

The ear is susceptible to blast injuries. Unique patterns of injury occur with bombs and explosions that are seldom seen outside of combat. The eardrum or tympanic membrane may be perforated in the blast and should be evaluated with an otologic evaluation and audiometry (hearing evaluation) to determine whether there is an injury to the ear.

Eardrums can be replaced, but observational studies over the years have shown a high rate of spontaneous healing of ruptured eardrums following blast injuries. Whether a perforated eardrum heals spontaneously depends on the size and placement of the perforation.

Two types of hearing loss are associated with blast-induced injuries. One type is called conductive hearing loss, and the second type is sensorineural hearing loss. The high-frequency sounds are more likely to be affected in blast injuries. Many individuals complain of tinnitus or ringing in the ears, and it is common to have balance problems, dizziness and/or vertigo associated with perforated eardrums. It is very important to keep the ear canal dry until the eardrum has healed.

Vision Problems and Sensitivity to Light

You may notice that your eyes don’t seem to be working in the same way that they did before your brain injury. Some eye doctors specialize in vision problems resulting from an acquired brain injury. They can help diagnose visual problems related to the injury and provide exercises or special glasses to help with recovery.

Because the visual changes are sometimes subtle, you may pass them off as being related to fatigue or brain fog. Aiming and focusing the eyes are linked, and that is why objects may appear to move, be seen as double, or blur in and out. Some individuals also complain that it is difficult to focus quickly from near to far or far to near.

Vision problems and cognitive deficits may compound one another. The most common complaints related to visual problems associated with brain injuries include light sensitivity, headaches, double vision, fatigue, dizziness, difficulty reading, or loss of peripheral visual fields. You may feel a heightened sensitivity to light and may even need to wear your sunglasses inside. You may have to request that fluorescent lights be turned off. Computer and reading tasks may take longer than usual, and tend to be more confusing and tiring.

A behavioral optometrist or a doctor who belongs to the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association can perform a comprehensive vision evaluation and help you determine the best course of action. Some individuals with visual deficits can benefit from specific lenses or prisms in their glasses and/or from vision therapy.

If you have vision problems associated with MTBI, this may deplete your energy and decrease your ability to perform daily living tasks. It is unrealistic to return to work
until vision problems are addressed. If your job requires a great deal of reading or moving your eyes between the desk and a computer screen, you may find that your errors increase because of difficulty tracking. It is very important to address visual problems, as they can increase the recovery time.

Dizziness and Vertigo

Feelings of dizziness and nausea are common after a head injury. You may notice that these symptoms come and go depending on the activity you are doing. Dizziness may refer to distinct symptoms, one of them being vertigo. This is when you feel as though you are spinning, and sometimes you feel nauseated or like you may lose your balance. Researchers have discovered various causes for this symptom, such as problems with your inner ear, impairments in eye movements, clenching and grinding your teeth, tightness in the neck muscles, etc.

Dizziness may also originate from cervical neck injuries. The primary symptoms with this type of dizziness include feeling off balance, lightheadedness, and the sensation of floating. If you have what is called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), you may notice that you have a sudden attack of spinning when you turn over in bed, change your head position quickly, or reach for an item above your head. This usually lasts for less than a minute, but you may be left with feelings of nausea and dizziness for a longer time.

The Mayo Clinic developed a technique called canalith repositioning (1994). where the head is maneuvered in various positions to help eliminate the dizziness. This is accomplished by moving the calciumcrystals in the inner ear. Medications that can help dizziness are also available. Be sure to consult with your doctor to see if you need a referral to an ear doctor who specializes in traumatic dizziness and/or an eye doctor who specializes in traumatic vision syndrome.

Changes in Energy Reserve After Injury

Healing takes a tremendous amount of energy. The diagram in Figure 1 illustrates functioning before and after the injury. It shows how the uninjured brain can perform many activities that are physical, cognitive, and emotional throughout the day, and still have a reserve of energy. After a brain injury, it takes more energy to deal with cognitive and emotional issues, leaving little or no reserve.

The brain uses more energy than any other organ in the body. Before you were injured, you had a pool of reserve energy available when you overextended yourself. Following your injury, nearly all of your energy is required to perform the most basic functions just to get through the day. If you are continuing to work, you may find that when you get home, you must rest and not engage in other activities as before.

Your energy reserves at this point are almost nonexistent. When you push too much you may reach overload, and the extreme fatigue may cause your brain and body to shut down. This exhaustion can also amplify all of your symptoms, and cause an emotional reaction.

Almost Immediately after an injury it becomes clear that you don’t have the same amount of energy that you previously did. It is important to emphasize the need for rest and conserving energy. For a while you may be unable to do as much as you used to and may need to take time out for rest — Brain Rest. Lay down during the day for naps. Even if you don’t sleep, resting your head and lying down may make a significant difference in your recovery.

Posted on BrainLine November 20, 2009. Reviewed July 26, 2018.

From Recovering from Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A handbook of hope for our military warriors and their families by Mary Ann Keatley, PhD, CCC and Lauar L. Whittemore. Copyright © 2009 the Brain Injury Hope Foundation. Reprinted with permission. www.braininjuryhopefoundation.org.

Comments (163)

Please remember, we are not able to give medical or legal advice. If you have medical concerns, please consult your doctor. All posted comments are the views and opinions of the poster only.

Thank you for being there, I’ve had a TBI for 11years. Today is a bad day for me, The music was so loud at church, just trying to get by with this life, along thank you for being there.

A comprehensive article on recovering from mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)! MTBI is a common type of brain injury that can have significant impacts on an individual's daily life. The information provided in this article is a valuable resource for anyone who has experienced mTBI or is caring for someone who has. From understanding the symptoms to finding appropriate support and resources, this article provides an overview of the recovery process for mTBI. I appreciate the detailed information provided and am sure that it will be a valuable resource for anyone looking to recover from mTBI. Thanks for sharing!

This is weird I was in an accident about a month ago and the doctors told me nothing of a brain bleed I had suffered. Went to a different hospital for second opinion and learned I was not in formed of at least half of my injuries. I have 2 neck 2 rib and 2 lower disk vertebrae fractures and was thrown from car at 65 miles an hr on interstate. Had an emergency splenectomy. Rib fragments punctured my lung walls. (Also not aware of)... This website is a random blessing

I was pushed into traffic by someone on a bicycle sometime in the beginning of November . I got struck in the head going 50km an hour one of the nurses told me when I was taken to hospital. I have been dizzy my neck hurts I have headaches almost everyday I get dizzy and nauseous I don't know what to do I can't remember my old life much but if people help me remember New things that happened it helps. Any help ??

I too feel as you do having had a severe head injury. I’m trying Acupuncture but also intend to have Cranial osteopathy. Have you had any changes or anything you could recommend?

~Question~
I had a dumpster lid come back and hit me on the left side of my head and knock me down. This is going on the 3rd day since it happened. I'm thinking maybe just a concussion but not sure. My symptoms have been a bad headache on the left side of my head mostly, nausea, stiff neck, severe left shoulder pain, pain into my back, fatigue, dizziness, blury vision, and now my legs ache like I've been working out. We don't have insurance and I really don't like going to the doctor, so any thoughts or help would be appreciated.

First, as someone who has had a TBI and is still healing 3 yrs later, I’m so sorry to hear this happened to you. I’m not a Dr but I’m walking this road so I hope the suggestions I can share might be helpful.

Think of your brain as jello in a glass jar. When you hit your head your brain was thrown around in your skull bouncing off sharp crevices in your brain injuries neurons and connections on several areas not just the one area where your head was physically hit. This is why you have several different symptoms occurring. This is called Cu contra cu - look it up.

NOW, get yourself to the ER! Your life and future cognitive and physical functioning are far more important than no insurance. The hospitals have programs to assist in payments. You have a brain injury and you need to take it seriously. A neurologist will asses your injury, probably do a CT and a neurological assessment.

What you can do yourself at home:

Sleep! Take naps when you’re tired. Your brain is injured and needs to heal and sleep is extremely important.

Read The Concussion Rescue! If you have a difficult time have someone read it or get it on Audible. It has amazing advice on what to do and what supplements you need to start taking and why…most importantly to me is Vit D, Omega 3 and NAC so I strongly encourage this.

Make sure you eat protein. Keto really helped me because it gave my body the fuel that passes directly through the blood brain barrier to help heal the brain.

Do intentional breathing. Your brain needs oxygen and right now it’s on overdrive.

There are many videos on YouTube that are about every issue of brain injuries. Research yours. I did just this because I needed to understand what happened to me and how to help myself and I found so much helpful information.

Be kind to yourself and make this a priority.

I could tell you more but my biggest piece of advice is…take this seriously and go to the ER today and tell them your symptoms. I wish you the best, be strong, and put yourself first right now.

Hi Jacquelyn, I have had 6 concussions. The fifth one changed my life and I still am learning to live with post concussion syndrome, but I have made tremendous progress with cognitive and ocular therapy (my eyes aren't working together anymore and send different signals to my brain which causes great fatigue). You will find a wealth of help at the concussion community.com. There are over 160 topics from professionals. It was created by a young woman who could find no help... she didn't even know that what was wrong was a concussion... for over two years. All the people in the group have had tbi's and are so supportive of each other. Silvie, the founder will help you get oriented to the website so you can find things to learn about.
If you do not want to go to doctors and begin therapies right now, maybe you would consider finding a very good chiropractor for now. Mine has helped with so many symptoms and your head and body pain could be helped tremendously. My chiropractor is also trained to work on cranial nerves, which can get out of whack with a blow to the head. We have three ocular nerves and his work on those helped tremendously with my spacial orientation. The adjustments cleared my headaches and neck pain in two visits.
The fatigue is common for just about everyone. The formula given to me for that was to take a "brain break" every two hours by lying down in a dark quiet space for 20 minutes. Limiting any and all sensory input allows the brain to work on itself to heal. Also sunglasses, earplugs and a hat with a brim were also prescribed again to eliminate unnessearty input. I still ear my ear plugs to restaurants and grocery store (I wasn't even allowed to go to a store for three months).
You will not be disappointed by checking out theconcussioncommunity.com. I'll be on the lookout for you!

I have a concussion from a car accident and am suffering from post concussion syndrome, my concussion was not initially diagnosed as I didn’t remember if I hit my head and I had various other soft tissue injuries that where being focused on. I am finding now 6 months in that I am still suffering, I never took time off work as I walked out of the car and thought I was fine...I started feeling things and bc I work at a computer all day I’ve managed to muddle through.......I am wondering though if it would be more beneficial for my recovery to take some time off work?

Yes, take time for your brain to heal. the concussion community will help you with a blueprint forward. all the best!

I have a pretty similar story, and am now in my third year of chasing solutions. Have finally made amazing headway by combining prism glasses and upper-cervical chiropractic (I saw someone mention cranio-sacral therapy and think this would be an amazing way to go too). It's also important to make sure you haven't developed any nutrient deficiencies since your accident, as TBI's can deplete your stores and inhibit uptake. Magnesium is top of the list, and I've also had benefit from B12 and L-Theanine. Outside of that, creating an environment that supports your needs is SO important. Soft lighting and silence are some of the most precious commodities in my life these days!

Hope you were able to manage some time off work and are further along the path to feeling optimal than before!

My situation sounds exactly the same however I am retired and have therefore been able to take it easy. However, now 7 months later, feeling the same and have seen neurologists and now seeing craniosacral therapist. It’s a long road, it seems with little help from medical professionals.

Hi I just wanted to reply to your comment. I had a car accident in 2015 and suffered an MTBI and post concussive syndrome and whiplash associated disorder with disc herniations. I also walked and I beleive I was in shock and then felt it a day or so after and it just got worse for about two years before I could do physio. I didn’t take time off and I really wish I had. No one would advise me. If you can and if you can get disability or something it might help speed up the healing process. I believe continuing to work for me was one of the reasons my healing was so slow.

Hi everyone, I have had 7 concussions over the past 9 years.. from various different misfortunes and sports.. the only thing that has been able to help me get rid of sensitivity to things is acupuncture!! I highly, highly recommend it!

Thank you. I'll have to try this more now than I wanted to before.

Are you in some kind of sport?? How long ago was your last concussion to how long has the symptoms lasted?

People anguishing vertigo last for a long time have a problem with the internal ear. The internal ear has a mechanism that is responsible for orientation in space and movement. Amazing work is done by the author. Kudos!!

I wanted to say ty to everyone that shared their experiences here, now I don’t feel so alone. The article also floored me, because I felt like I could have wrote it, if I was able to stay focused right now!

It described everything so accurately, that I teared up reading it!

I have been off of work since July (got my concussion in June and tried to work through it!). I have spent the entire time in my dark bedroom and staying away from light and noise.

It has been a nightmare and I have experienced almost all of the symptoms mentioned!

I hope everyone starts to feel well soon and wish you all the best!

Ty

After reading so many comments, so many people going through some very tough times and situations, and so many feel that no one believes them which I surely get that too. Just thought I would add my own. Those who don't like to read long comment "stories", its ok if you skip this one, I don't blame you :-)

I'm 36, always been very independent, work nearly everyday but Sabbath. Had been working on my house, wanted to get water lines run to it this past spring... but a little over 6 months ago now, a guy I knew was trying to help a neighbor to mount a tractor scraper blade on another piece of equipment. But he didn't know much about steel work, so he asked me if I would go with him to the scrap yard to find what they needed make the mount. So we went, found a large heavy wall tube steel that would work. But it was about 30 feet long, and we only needed a 10 foot piece. So we got a guy from the shop at the scrap yard who was supposed to be a forklift operator. And when I say forklift, it was actually a large off road front loader which they had removed the bucket and mounted a set of forks on it, which they normally used to pick up crushed cars. Anyway, the piece of steel we needed was on a 30 foot long steel rack, with who knows how many tons of steel on that rack. Anyway, instead of just lifting the piece of steel about 6 inches and backing up, the forklift driver picked it up until it hit the shelf above it, then he picked up the entire end of the rack. The other guy I was with said that the piece of steel we were wanting was actually bowing under the weight. We yelled at him and motioned for him to put it down, he opened his window and we told him he had picked up the entire rack and needed to put it down. He closed his window, and that was the last thing I remember... But from what I'm told, instead of just lowering the rack down, he apparently tried to jerk the piece of steel out from under the rack, which was ridiculous to say the least. But because of the amount of pressure it was under from all the weight of the steel on the rack, when it came out it shot out like a spring. I was past the far end of the rack, and far over to the side, but the flat side of the steel hit me on the right side of my head. (*If I had been hit by the open end of the steel beam, I would have been dead, as it would have cut half my head off. I know without any doubt the only reason I'm here is because the Heavenly Father Yahuah didn't allow that to happen) It opened a large gash right above my right eye. Knocked me out cold and I fell back into a 3-4" deep water puddle from a shallow drainage ditch.. Even when I came too, I was not coherent at all. Somehow I apparently got back over to the guys suv that I came there with. As the first thing I really remember was I was sitting in the passenger's seat holding my head with my right hand. I lowered my hand to find I was holding a big wad of white paper towels and they were soaked with blood. This is when I saw the blood on my jeans and then on my jacket. I asked the guy I was with what had happened and why am I covered in blood. He said "don't you remember? you got hit by that steel beam, and we've been trying to stop the blood for 20 minuets." I then started thinking "where am I?" and I looked up and saw the gate to the scrap yard, and remembered we had been there. Then I kept trying to piece together the rest, and remember the forklift guy and him lifting the rack.

Not One person working at the scrapyard bothered to even call an ambulance. The only thing they did was apparently give me the paper towels... and the guy I was with was also not smart enough to drive me to a hospital nor call an ambulance... I finally was able to tell him "just get me home". My Dad, Mom, and I live on the same property out in the country. I have a little house, and try to take care of whatever needs done around the farm, as my Dad is 78 years old, has had a bad heart most of his life, had a heart valve replaced about 12 years ago. And he had to have both knees replaced about 7 or 8 years ago, as he got busted up in a couple times in different jumps in the paratroopers when his parachute malfunctioned while he was in the military.
In any case, I knew if he got me home, my Dad and Mom would know what I needed to do, as it was just hard to think at this point. In fact after we started heading home, I tried to get the guy to stop somewhere so I could pick up supper... as I was supposed to bring home dinner that night for everyone.... obviously I was not thinking straight. I don't remember much of the trip home, other than he wanted me to call my Mom and tell her I got cut but was ok, so she wouldn't freak out as bad. I didn't want to call, but he finally convinced me, but after she answered, I couldn't find the words. I finally handed him the phone in frustration. Anyway, got home approx an hour from the time of impact. As soon as they saw me they knew I had to get to the hospital. I thought I went from his suv to our car, but was told later that I had (for some reason) walked into the house and sat down in a chair for about 10 minutes. I don't remember that at all. Dad and the other guy took me to the hospital, as my Mom had the animals and other things to deal with at the house. Don't remember much of the trip, which was only about 8 miles from the house.
I do remember after getting there, the reception lady kept asking me questions that I didn't have the words to answer. She wouldn't listen to the guy telling her that I had been hit in the head by a steel beam and etc, she just kept saying that " I " had to answer her.... I finally got out my drivers license and gave it to her and sat down. It was probably 20 minuets or so before they took me back, this was probably and hour and half to two hours from the time of impact at this point. They did a CT scan, but only of my skull (at this point, I thought they did my whole head, but was wrong), which they were looking for bleeding on the brain or if the brain was swelling, which if it had of been, once again I would have probably been dead by this time. In any case, they basically told me i had a mild concussion, stitched me up, made me a pain med prescription, said I was fine and released me after being there about 5 hours or so. Even though they noted that i was in an "altered state of consciousness, and kept repeating myself" **(IS this "normal" to be released so quickly??)** I don't remember much of what the doctors said, or even their faces for that matter. Or much of anything else that night. Just remember being so tired, and I crashed when I went to bed over at my Dad and Moms house, as they didn't want me to be by myself that night.

After 4 days, I had to go back to the ER, due to severe pain on the left side of my head and jaw. I thought my jaw was fractured and they missed it on the CT scan. Thats when I found out that they didn't even bother to scan my face at all the first time. So they did a 2nd CT scan, and found I had multiple facial fractures, but not my jaw. Again, they gave me some pain meds, muscle relaxers, and released me.

I did not feel like... "myself" for over a week. I can't really describe it, but some days I just thought "what the heck is wrong with me". I wasn't supposed to do any work or much of anything at all for at least 2 months, wasn't even supposed to be on the computer much.

A week or so after the head injury, I started having neck pain that would radiate up the back of my head and all the way right behind my eyes. Just such a severe headache that when at its worse, I just couldn't function. I'd go lay in a dark room, but couldn't sleep. Nothing helped to relive it, excedrin migraine helped take the edge off sometimes, but not always. And even then it only lasted an hour or so before it come back full force. Many days these migraines have lasted 24 hours, and even sometimes 48 hours.

A few weeks after the head injury, I started having what I called "music spells" where I would hear something that sounded like a radio playing, but there was no radio and I couldn't make out what was being said. Sometimes, its just a mixture of sounds and "voices".
One night, when I was by myself, I woke up to my dog whining and hovering around my head. I was laying face down on the concrete floor. I pulled myself up into my chair, finally turned on the light on my desk. Eventually got up, holding onto the door and etc made it across the hall to the bathroom. Saw blood running down my beard, rinsed my face with some cold water. Felt my tongue hurting, I had bitten it pretty bad. I had had a seizure.

Since then, the "music spells" (which were "lighter" seizures) have continued, as well as other "feelings" that are hard to describe, often happen anywhere from hours to days before I have one. I've had at least 4 tonic clonic seizures, that I know of at least. Two of which my Dad and Mom witnessed.
The neck pain and migraine headaches have also continued. As well as numbness in my left arm especially, but also sometimes in my left leg, and once in a while in my right arm.
I get angry sometimes over little things, or even nothing at all. Sometimes irritated really easily. I have to stop myself and try to calm down.
Loss of appetite (nothing really sounds appetizing anymore), as well as nausea, especially when ever I ride in a vehicle. I hate going anywhere anymore, especially the long trips to the doctors office thats in another city about 125 miles away.
A lot of days I'm really fatigued, just don't feel like standing, let alone working.

Then on top of all this, a few weeks after it happened, I started noticing I was forgetting things a lot. Like I would walk into a room, forget why I went in there. Be talking and forget what I was talking about. Forget things that I needed to do and etc. I started using an old smart phone just to use the notepad app to write things down, as if I waited until I got a piece of paper and pen, I would have already forgotten what I needed to write down.

Anyway, because of my memory lapses, back just over 3 weeks ago, almost 6 months to the day from my head injury, my Dad wanted to take down a deer stand that was in our woods which was actually my cousins stand that he had left there for over the last 2 years, because he doesn't clean up anything including all his trash.... Anyway. recently people moved in on the property next to ours, and they are nothing but big mouth alcoholic liers, and think they can bully the neighborhood... which they are finding out different after we got restraining orders against them. Anyway, my Dad was afraid they would come over our fence in the woods and steal the stand. Well I didn't really feel like messing with it that day, but I certainly didn't want my Dad on it. So I went with him in our old military farm truck, we could only get within about 50 feet of the stand because everything had grown up so much. I got a few hand tools out of the truck, and was thinking to myself "I got to take the top strap off first, then get the bottom"... well, by the time I turned around walked over to the stand, I completely forgot that. So I instead took off the strap I as looking at, which was the bottom one. Then I climbed up, took off the top one, but of course there was some stupid rope woven through the stand for some reason. I pulled it out, and about that time the stand started to move. I yelled at my Dad to move out of the way, and I rode it to the ground. Dislocated my ankle, broke both bones in my right leg at the ankle joint and just above it, and fractured the heel bone as well. (didn't know the details until later, pretty bad break according to the surgeons) My Dad started to try to help me up, but I didn't want him pulling on me. Told him to get the truck as close as he could to me. He did, after backing into a tree and messing up the open tailgate, because he was worried about me and not watching. He got it close, I got turned over on my knees and crawled over to, pulled myself up on the steel brush guard on the front. Got up on my left leg, and was able to make it around to the door, and sat on the edge of the seat enough to turn and pull my leg up inside. After we got back to the house, I nearly blacked out when trying to get from our truck to our car. Sunk about half way to the ground before I regained enough to stop myself and started pulling myself back up. Made it in the car, went the local hospital, they took x rays and told me I needed surgery and they couldn't do it. But they did try to "realign" the bones by pulling on my foot..... (later the surgeon was obviously irritated about this, as they hadn't done any good to say the least) Got transferred to another larger hospital via ambulance about 125 miles away (the one I go to now), MUCH better hospital to say the least. Ended up being in there for 6 days, had to have two surgeries, but they initially thought I would be in there for weeks and have to have at least 3 surgeries. In any case, that was about 4 weeks ago and I still can't put any weight on my right leg for at least another 5 weeks. Stuck in bed or a recliner for the most part... But it could have been worse. Just glad it was me and not my Dad on that stand...

Anyway, while I was in the hospital, several of the doctors also asked me about my head injury and etc. I told them about it, and that I had tried to get into their neurology department there, but had been told that it would be 6 months before I could get an appointment, so i had seen a "private" neurologist who I felt like didn't believe me (or didn't really care) and that he was only worried about how many appointments he get through per hour... He had also given me a prescription for "topomax", which after 5 days I couldn't deal with anymore due to the mental side effects, mostly a "flood" of "negative thoughts".... So I stopped taking them and I think that made him mad, there was some other issues to... He did order an MRI and EEG, both of which came back with "no abnormalities".... but I only found out the results from the doctors at the hospital, because the first neurologist would only say "we'll talk about it at your next appointment"....

Anyway, one of the doctors at the hospital told me she could get me into their neurology center. About a week after I got home, on that friday I found that I had multiple voicemails from their neurology clinic. I called them back the following monday, and apparently I had been moved up in priority as they got me an appointment that following friday when i had to also see the orthopedic surgeon in a follow up about my leg, so I didn't have to make a second trip.

I saw the neurologist for about an hour and half, we talked about a lot of things, she explained a lot and told me that all the symptoms I was having was consistent with Post Concussion Syndrome. She wanted me to try a different prescription for the seizures, and gave me a prescription for the muscle relaxers to see if it would help with my neck pain and migraines. I have been taking the one for about 5 days now, and it hasn't helped with the seizures so far, just had a "light" one yesterday. But the other one did help with a migraine. I emailed her about it, and she said if the one didn't begin helping with the seizures I may have to try something else. Supposed to see her again at my next appointment in about 5 weeks when I go back to see the orthopedic surgeon, to see if I will be allowed to walk yet.

Like I said earlier, its been over 6 months now... actually now that I think about it, its almost 7 months now... since my head injury. All the symptoms have continued thus far, some even seemingly getting worse. Like many other commenters here, I really feel that many people don't believe me... I know my Dad and Mom does... but some of the doctors, the first "neurologist", and honestly I'm not even really sure if my attorney's office believes me or not. But not much I can do about it. I just want all of these problems to go away so I can go back to being "me". At this point, I'll just be glad when I am allowed to walk again... and I just hope the meds stop these seizures. I'm most worried that if I have a bad seizure, I could re injury my leg at this point. Just pray that doesn't happen, as I can't hardly stand to sit here as is, I certainly don't want it to take longer... I know the only reason I'm still here is because the Heavenly Father Yahuah didn't allow me to die, not only on that day but in other times before this, even when I was a child. I pray that He will heal those who serve Him soon, but until then I'll do whatever I can to help myself. I know I'll get through it, just got to take it day-by-day, do what I can when I feel like working, and let the rest go. All we can do is take one day at a time.

** I had to go back through this comment multiple times just to fix words that I had "skipped" and other stuff.... Also if I'm on the computer to long, it gets hard to read or focus on the screen as well. I found this site last night and was reading the comments, but had to stop and close the computer. Anyway, I pray for the other people here and for anyone who has suffered a TBI, as "mild" or not, its definitely something to go through that no one else can understand unless they have been through it too.

I am so sorry for all you have been through, I myself have been dealing with a TBI almost one and a half years now three different therpys one injection in the back of the head closer to the neck area for my migrains this does work for awhile have your Dr order it. for you it dosent hurt a little stinging next i have eye surgery i am hopeing this will help with my double vision dont be so hard on your self you had a brain enjery one day at a time , good luck J T D

Many thanks for your comment as in some ways I have been going through similar things and it is helpful to see that others are struggling the same way...
I fainted one early morning for, I guess, really high stress level. As it took me quite some time to open my eyes, my husband called an ambulance.
And I do not remember anything after that for the next 6 hours... I remember them asking me all the time “Have you been drinking” , I remember feeling like this was a dream and the voices were highly bothering me, that, in order to make them stop I had to give a brief answer. They took me to hospital and again I do not remember getting in the ambulance nor arriving at A&E. I know they gave me a blood test, I know someone asked me if anything hurt and I said yes, my head, where I hit the floor... But nothing! They did nothing and just told me to go home after few hours! I was throwing up all the time but wasn’t even realising it was me... Holding on to my little bucket I went to the waiting room to wait for my husband. The taxi took us home and I don’t remember that, I slept the next 5-6 days and nights non stop with my husband waking me up to feed me.
One week later I went back to the A&E as I felt like my scalp was going to explode, it was as if my bones were going to come out of my head... As if my neck was trying to connect with my eyes and that process was too much...
I begged them to check me again and they only gave me a CT Scan, not even an MRI!!! They were useless and in 8 hours of me waiting to be looked at they didn’t talk to me, didn’t give me a glass of water nothing!!!
I was only diagnosed with TBI 5-6 months later, in between I thought I was going mad, or that, maybe I had Alzheimer... One year later and I am still struggling with blurred vision, with vertigo when I get too tired, with very painful ears at times...
I just wish I would get some competent people to look after me... I wish someone would care...
What kind of society do we live in?
Because the emergencies were not busy when I went, they just didn’t care!
I really hope that I can be myself again one day... I miss me...

I related to so much of your story. I often think people don't believe me. Thank the Lord that my boss does, and my husband. I think my providers do, but the long term disability insurance company sure doesn't... I didn't know about cognitive testing and neuropsychology so I'm just getting that referral 9 months later. I fell and hit the back of my head. Between my minimizing because I was embarrassed and the ER doctor saying I would be fine, it's amazing I ever got a concussion diagnosis. CT scan showed no structural damage, but I flunked the cognitive eval 3 or 4 times and the doctor didn't even record that. At the end of my exam he asked if I would be returning to work that day. I wish I would have taken a few weeks off instead of a day or two. Since then I have only been able to work part-time. I'm a nurse, and trying to work with cognitive issues, even with mostly indirect care, is very anxiety producing. I have headaches, dizziness, difficulty reading, memory problems, tinnitus, hypersensitivity to light and sound, dyslexia, difficulty with word finding, clumsiness (which all worsen when I push myself). At first I had trouble with regulation of my body processes; heart rate (masked by a chronic condition I have), heat regulation, I would pant like a dog for no reason at all. An optometrist that specializes in brain issues has helped a bit with special glasses, prisms, tints, color therapy. Visual issues have improved. I have neck problems worsened by the fall; I was never diagnosed with whiplash but I'm sure I have/had it. I have found my chiropractor has been able to help the dizziness where the physical therapist failed; the test for nystagmus was negative. The months go by, and there is very little improvement; or at least not enough. I miss me too. Thank you for your story.

Doctors can’t do much really except prescribe “hit or miss” medications which add to the problem. I reached out to a Natiuopathic:Homeopathic doctor which really helped. Also try acupunture. You will be surprised how alternative medicine can address these TBIs. You well-being, clarity and health are worth the try, my friend. Yes, you have to self-pay because (why in heck doesn’t our insurance pay for this) but again you’re worth it!

You may want to look at a condition called functional neurological disorder
FND
Doctors don’t know about it Nuerologist do it’s as common as MS

You are brave and inspiring, I hope you are feeling better and soon to be recovered

I it’ll be 3 yrs sept 19 since I had my hard slammed into a tire rim it busted my head at hair line an around my down by my eye. I had to have stitches an staples. There were places they couldn’t numb as well . I would think I’d be healed from it bu I keep losing my Parethal vision vision it’s always temporary an looks like a string of light blocks it an my ears they start ringing out of no where an sometimes it gets so load it like paralyzes me could this be happening cause of my injury

Almost 20 years ago when I was 19 years old, I was punched very hard on the side of my head behind my ear by an abusive boyfriend. The punch was so hard that it left the back of my ear and ear completely black. He used all of his strength to punch me and he was much bigger than me. I felt very sick for days. I never went to the hospital or to a doctor. Since then, I have had so many things happen to me which I know is caused by that injury. I have a lot of trouble finding the right words to use when I want to speak or describe something. The same line of a song will play over and over in my head constantly. If I try to make a decision about something, all of these other thoughts will come rushing in and will just overwhelm me and I cannot make a decision on the smallest of things. I have outbursts and rages over small things. Loud noises or too much noise makes me angry. So many other things that I experience that are just too much to list. Another weird thing that happens to me is when I am in the shower, I will hear commotion going on outside of the bathroom, almost like people screaming and fighting. It happens so often that I know now that it's nothing and there's no reason to get out of the shower and check to see what is going on. I really hope that this does not affect me for the rest of my life, but it has already been close to two decades and still experiencing these things. I don't know if I can be helped.

I feel the same way. I have been abused by my husband and I’m going through the same symptoms. I don’t know what to do either and haven’t gone to the hospital. I can’t think right, I’m always upset with yelling and screaming, I feel like I can’t communicate right, like make decisions at many things, I can’t handle pain, I have been having migraines a lot, I’m always fatigued, weak, and always end up going to hospital with uti’s kidney infection and migraines. My stomach hurts a lot I think I might have Endometriosis I am lost and over to much with being a wife who is mistreated and disrespected. To many bows to head and brusis. That I can’t forget! Shattered heart!

I'm so sorry you've been going through this. I know how hard tough relationships can be. I would consider getting a different doctor than the one your hubby goes to do that you can feel free to talk about what's going on with your symptoms. ❤

Reading all the comments is reassuring that I’m not going mad. Have had 3 cycling crashes, all with broken bones, all with head impacts and black eyes etc. and one with loss of consciousness. But I don’t recall concussion like the symptoms since being hit on the side of my head by a the structural part of collapsing caravan awning bent full of rainwater. I felt no pain. Vision was ‘not right’ and I was generally not with it. Left hospital with a fact sheet on what to expect. Since then condition has been up and down, but always, mind fog, surreal feeling, 2/10 headache, shocking memory of things since incident, and inability to listen to anything complex. Vision weird on the left at night. If I recharge and do nothing I improve, then start doing stuff and go downhill. Had a bad day last week where the night before I had walked headfirst into a glass sliding door. Next morning woke up and the tinnitus in my right ear turned back on like a light switch. Then, after trying to be normal and do too much I swung a golf club in my backyard, and at finishing the swing, instant, overwhelming double vision and dizziness, nausea. This got me a doctors visit and mri. I was also tested and told some thing I knew; balance is off. I now rock backwards when my eyes are closed so the balance is also on the fritz. I did do ok on what resembled a sobriety test with eyes open.

On the bright side this is quite funny. I recently asked my wife, “can I please have some ginger coated peanuts”. Also find myself at the wrong end of supermarket wondering why. Running a cold bath instead of hot. My new word for all this ‘dammit’.
My work is understanding-I am not allowed back until I get a medical clearance. I am certain I will not cope with the full job managing many staff etc, as it’s hard enough with a functioning mind..... so we shall see.
Otherwise my family is great support including driving me everywhere in case the vision plays up and enforcing rest when I get too goofy. Good luck to all of you with your own unique and often far more serious circumstances - it’s great ppl can support each other here.

"Since then condition has been up and down, but always, mind fog, surreal feeling, 2/10 headache, shocking memory of things since incident, and inability to listen to anything complex. Vision weird on the left at night. "

This sounds like me! My vision issues seem more random but also my left eye.

That surreal feeling I get is like I've fallen out of the back of myself slightly and I'm observing outside of my body slightly but using my body to see, hear and feel. Like I'm out of align with it just an inch. And watching life around me is kind of like watching TV. Really hard to explain.

Strange stuff!

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

this is a logbook of me almost to a "T" a long long misery of a living nightmare. As I sit here with a left eye blurry with pain behind eye, headache, dizzy, with brain pauses, hate light, nausea, FATIGUE.......but would anyone even help me except to psych drugs??

I was hit on the back of my head very hard when a passenger on the plane dropped his metal luggage on my head as I was seated. I suffered a TBI 1 1/2 years ago and am still recovering. I am writing this because I saw an excellent neurologist but he was clueless. So many of the symptoms that each of you are mentioning were and are the same as mine. The back of the head is the parietal lobe which is responsible for vision. I could see but I could not recognize faces or people. I am writing this to provide comfort, compassion and hope for those of you with a newly diagnosed TBI. One of the scariest and most frustrating aspects was the unknown and not knowing how long this would last. I have suffered for almost two years but I am finally getting better. You must pay attention to your instincts. If it is too noisy outside, stay inside. Protect yourself and cocoon as long as you need to. You will help your brain heal if you let it rest. I recently discovered a small monthly group for people with TBI's. It is amazing in that everyone pretty much experiences the same things, but everyone thought it was just them. The rehab specialist who leads the group recommended ear buds and many people wear them as needed. The other big thing is to use your phone or a timer to remind you to do basic things. If you are cooking, use the timer to remind you to turn off the stove or oven. Set the timer to remind yourself to shower. I was a graduate school professor but after the TBI, I kept forgetting to shower! It will get better but give yourself a year. Your brain will heal. I am almost two years post injury and I never thought I could even be looking at a computer screen and typing this. Baby steps. Some days are harder than others. But you will heal. Be kind to yourself.

Very good comment and useful. i was hit by a small moped and hit the back of my head on the pavement and have mild tbi. got vertigo sorted but left with brain fog which rolls in and out which causes sudden breathlessness. will heed you good advice. time and patience the key as you say.

OMG; this is me!! Thanks for the advice. But I work for myself and can't take much time off. But I do set up the reminder timers and have scaled my work way back. Infortunately this is not seen a disability and so I suffer immensely income wise and have made serious mistakes that I never would have made pre injury which aso jeapordizes my any orders/income. And apparently, I cannot spell for the life of me :)

Thank you.
very inspiring.

I suffered a TBI on April 8, 2019. I thought I had recovered. But my sensitivity to sound and this emotional roller coaster are exhausting. I feel like I'm losing my mind. Has anyone else experienced this?

Mine was a car accident April 8, 2019 no seatbelt rollover was unconscious for about 5 minutes everyday still I have those same problems haven’t spoke to my doctor about it yet but I feel your pain hope your doing better.

I understand. My accident was May 2019, I had most of the symptoms mentioned. My doc says it will all heal on its own and that I do not need to see a specialist because he feels my ear issues are allergies and some of my symptoms are somatic, which means in your head. All I could do is cry. They referred me to Intensive Outpatient Therapy, everyone involved is trying to throw bipolar at me and stuff me with antiphychotics because I have outburst of anger towards the V.A. After reading this, it now makes more sense as to why my anxiety is so bad in this group therapy. I have to wear earplugs.

Yes, I developed noise sensitivity and hearing impairment after a head injury 10 odd years ago. Noise sensitivity had a big impact on my social life and still have trouble with expresso machines in cafes etc.

My kid had a concussion over a year ago and still has symptoms that they had when diagnosed with getting upset when there is loud noise being one of the many. So what is the most uncompforting is being reminded that most people's symptoms are resolved within a year by both the uneducated and educated and then being sent off to be isolated further in every aspect and blame on another cause. I am not sure why some use this to treat a kid badly or isolate further because they feel my young child must be using their brain injury as an excuse which in turn perpetuates longer healing time and not getting to the right people. Don't give up and thank you for sharing and don't stop reporting to medical professionals etc. until people take note that everyone DOES NOT recover athe same rate.

Totally and it is scaring the life out of me

I suffered a TBI at work in 2018. Its been a roller coaster of pain, migraines, therapies and treatments. I suddenly found myself with vision issues as well as hyper sensitive to sound. I finally went to the ENT and he diagnosed me with a damaged ear cochlea. I will be having surgery to repair in November.
I must wear ear plugs almost every where I go. Work has been less than accommodating or caring. I have worked here 34 years. They refuse to pay medical bills since April of 2019. So I'm on my own here, trying to recover from the scariest injury I've ever had...

is there a y or some kind of treatment that you can get to correct the pressure on the brain and the inner ear symptoms with this illness is there a way to get that dead nerve alive is there any kind of procedure that could have this condition are any kind of treatments. Please help.

I was in a bad accident in August of 2014 where our car flipped 4 times and we landed in a drainage ditch that actually saved our lives. Unfortunately, the rough of the car cracked my left side of my head cause my TBI. I was unconscious for about 5 minutes eorh my eyes and mouth wide opened. My son thought I was dead. Now almost 5 years later I still have memory loss and very sensitive to noise and even the sun. However, getting rest is the most important factor. When I don't get my proper rest it's like the day of the wreck because I have PTSD along with my TBI. I can relate to everyone in this page and prayer has kept me going on. I still have my bad and good days but I never give up on me.

Mary, you are not losing your mind. I thought the exact same thing. Truck vs. pole 1/2017. Have been a nurse for 30 years. Happy, good nature, could multitask, no memory issues, etc. then the accident. Look up neuropsychology, best, really helped a huge amount. Good luck

Ahh!! I’ve seen a neuropsychologist but all she wanted to do was talk about my past life trauma. I’d love help, and have seen so many medical professionals, yet here I am, doing this all alone. I’m dealing with so much, so many symptoms, but once my past comes up everyone just focuses on that. They want to treat the old me, the one without the TBI. I hate medical professionals.

Yes Mary, unfortunately many TBI patients probably deal with the same issues. I still have great difficulty with sound/hyperacusis after 4 1/2 years. Before we got hurt we could push, it often got us results, now sometimes it seems the harder a person pushes/tries, it often causes issues with various symptoms and the ups and downs you mentioned. Often the complete opposite to our 'normal' prior to the injury. Don't lose hope, you will experience those setbacks. As hard as it is, try to stay positive.
Search and find a very experienced concussion specialist. Someone that is honest, that will tell you that they don't know everything, and that it is a very difficult medical condition to deal with for both patients and practitioners. And tells you that it's a condition that often requires a coordinated, multi practitioner approach. Preferably someone in the trenches with patients, that doesn't just talk the talk, that is well connected, that people really trust, and are getting exemplary results from. Do exactly what they tell you to do, and try your best to just keep moving forward...it can be a very difficult process, but you will make progress. I hope you start to see changes soon.

I suffered a brain injury 3 years ago. No medical people even try to get it. I have so many symptoms along with visual snow I'm now seeking medical care out of state. Some antiseizure meds help but even with insurance they're very expensive. I used to be super athletic and independent now if I could get help for the ridiculous fatigue I could deal. I wish all out there for hope and having better luck than I

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