No one wishes to have brain damage, of course – but you can never really say. There are just some instances when accidents and unfortunate circumstances lead to bodily injury causing painful, permanent and incapacitating damage. TBI or traumatic brain injury is a very broad term that encompasses all traumatic injuries to the brain. Traumatic injury, in this sense simply means serious injury; but this condition is anything but simple. TBI is also known as head injury or intracranial injury, which can affect (or in extreme cases, destroy) the normal functions of the brain stem, the cerebellum and the cerebral hemispheres.

There are three classifications of TBI, and these classifications are dictated by the extent of brain damage in an individual. These classifications are: mild, moderate and severe. For mild cases, medication and intensive care and therapy can lead to a patient’s complete recovery. In some cases, a person returns to about 90% of his or her normal daily activities. Moderate and severe cases are trickier. There are some individuals who still manage to recover from such conditions, but often suffering from a host of cognitive, emotional and physical effects. However, there are those who are physically and permanently incapacitated; and these individuals would have to rely in the care of machines and other people for the rest of their lives. The worse case scenario often leads to death.

Preventing TBI

TBI is almost always caused by outside factors. Brain damage due to sickness or disease cannot be avoided without the eradication of the affliction itself. However, in the case of TBI due to accidents or simply unfortunate circumstances, prevention can be achieved by being more careful with our health. The CDC or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests the following:

1. Take vehicular precautions seriously.

When the government issued the seatbelt law, there is a very good reason for it. Abrupt and sudden stops in a car can send your head right through the windshield, cracking your head on it like an egg. Or worse, the pavement can scramble your brain if you happen to fly out of the car. So yes, you need to wear your seatbelt.

Also, make sure that the rest of the people inside your vehicle wear their own seat belts; especially if you have children sitting in the car with you. For very young children, buying a booster seat with seatbelt attachments or a child safety seat is a worthy investment, so don’t scrimp on it.

Wearing helmets for bicycles, motor bikes and even sports is essential. So if you or anyone else you know is particularly active, buying them protective gear is one of the greatest ways of preventing TBI.

2. Precautions against firearms must be met.

Many people keep firearms as a form of protection; but every year, unattended children and adolescents are getting their hands on firearms stored carelessly at home. One accidental misfire is all it takes to send someone to the hospital. In most cases of bullet wounds to the head, very few survive the trauma to lead normal lives.

3. Watch yourself at home.

It is true that most accidents happen at home. We tend to think that since we are in a place where we feel safe, then we must indeed be safe; but that is often not the case. When you need to do repairs in your home, make sure you use the proper instruments and tools. A stack of stools one on top of the other is never a good replacement for a sturdy ladder. Place window guards on your window and safety gates for your stair in case you have toddlers in the house.

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