Condition Lookup
Category:
Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
Number of Conditions: 6
Concussion
Specialty: Neurology
Category: Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
Symptoms:
headache; confusion; dizziness; nausea; vomiting; blurred vision; sensitivity to light and noise; memory loss; difficulty concentrating; fatigue
Root Cause:
A mild traumatic brain injury caused by a sudden impact or jolt to the head, leading to temporary disruption of brain function.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical evaluation (patient history, symptom analysis, and physical examination), neurocognitive testing, imaging tests like CT or MRI (if severe symptoms or risk of complications).
Treatment:
Rest, gradual return to activities, symptom management, cognitive and physical rehabilitation if needed.
Medications:
Pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen for headaches. Prescription medications, such as amitriptyline (tricyclic antidepressant) or topiramate (antiepileptic), may be used for post-concussion headaches or migraines.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common; estimated 1.6–3.8 million concussions occur annually in the U.S. related to sports and recreational activities.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Participation in contact sports, history of previous concussions, motor vehicle accidents, falls, younger age (children and adolescents).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Generally good, with most people recovering fully within weeks to months; symptoms may persist longer in post-concussion syndrome.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Post-concussion syndrome, second impact syndrome, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), persistent cognitive or emotional problems.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Specialty: Neurology
Category: Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
Symptoms:
loss of consciousness; headache; confusion; memory loss; dizziness; vomiting; seizures; speech difficulties; weakness or numbness; changes in behavior
Root Cause:
Brain damage caused by external force, such as a blow to the head, penetration by an object, or violent shaking.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Physical and neurological examinations, imaging tests like CT scans or MRIs, Glasgow Coma Scale assessment.
Treatment:
Emergency stabilization, surgical intervention if necessary (to relieve pressure or repair damage), physical and cognitive rehabilitation, supportive care.
Medications:
Diuretics (e.g., mannitol ) to reduce brain swelling; anticonvulsants (e.g., levetiracetam ) to prevent seizures; sedatives (e.g., propofol ) for agitation or to manage intracranial pressure.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
About 2.8 million emergency department visits for TBI in the U.S. annually; common in all age groups, particularly young adults and the elderly.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Falls, vehicle accidents, sports injuries, physical violence, military combat exposure.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Varies widely; mild TBIs often resolve fully, while severe TBIs may result in long-term disabilities or death.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Seizures, infections, hydrocephalus, cognitive or emotional impairments, death.
Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
Specialty: Neurology
Category: Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
Symptoms:
loss of sensation; paralysis; pain; loss of bladder or bowel control; difficulty breathing; spasticity
Root Cause:
Damage to the spinal cord due to trauma, leading to partial or complete disruption of nerve signals between the brain and body.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Neurological examination, imaging tests like MRI or CT scan, and functional assessments.
Treatment:
Emergency stabilization, surgery to repair or decompress the spinal cord, physical therapy, occupational therapy, assistive devices.
Medications:
High-dose corticosteroids (e.g., methylprednisolone ) in some cases for inflammation; pain relievers (e.g., gabapentin for neuropathic pain); antispasmodics (e.g., baclofen ) for spasticity.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Around 17,900 new cases in the U.S. annually; prevalence of approximately 300,000 individuals living with SCI.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Motor vehicle accidents, falls, sports injuries, violence (e.g., gunshot wounds), medical conditions like spina bifida.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Depends on the level and severity of the injury; partial recovery possible in some cases, but permanent disability is common.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Pressure ulcers, respiratory issues, urinary tract infections, chronic pain, depression.
Subdural Hematoma
Specialty: Neurology
Category: Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
Symptoms:
headache; confusion; drowsiness; vomiting; seizures; weakness; slurred speech; loss of consciousness
Root Cause:
Bleeding between the dura mater and the arachnoid membrane, typically caused by trauma to the head.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed through neuroimaging, primarily CT scans or MRI, to detect blood accumulation.
Treatment:
Treatment ranges from observation for mild cases to surgical intervention (craniotomy or burr hole drainage) for severe cases.
Medications:
Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) such as levetiracetam or phenytoin may be prescribed to prevent seizures. Pain management medications like acetaminophen are also used.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Subdural hematomas are relatively common, especially among older adults and individuals on anticoagulant therapy.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Head trauma, older age, use of blood thinners, alcohol abuse, and brain atrophy.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Variable depending on severity and treatment; mild cases have a good prognosis, but severe cases can lead to permanent neurological impairment or death.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Increased intracranial pressure, brain herniation, chronic subdural hematoma, seizures, and cognitive deficits.
Epidural Hematoma
Specialty: Neurology
Category: Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
Symptoms:
brief loss of consciousness followed by a lucid interval; headache; vomiting; confusion; weakness; seizures; unequal pupil size; progressive loss of consciousness
Root Cause:
Accumulation of blood between the skull and dura mater, often due to the rupture of an artery, commonly the middle meningeal artery, from trauma.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed through CT scans or MRI to visualize blood collection.
Treatment:
Emergency surgical evacuation of the hematoma via craniotomy or burr hole surgery.
Medications:
Anticonvulsants like levetiracetam to prevent seizures and analgesics for pain management.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Less common than subdural hematomas but more frequently observed in younger patients with head trauma.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Skull fractures, head trauma, high-impact injuries, and anticoagulant therapy.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good if treated promptly; untreated cases can lead to brain herniation and death.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Increased intracranial pressure, brain herniation, permanent neurological deficits, and death if untreated.
Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI)
Specialty: Neurology
Category: Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
Symptoms:
loss of consciousness; vegetative state; persistent headaches; memory loss; difficulty concentrating; mood changes; motor and sensory deficits
Root Cause:
Widespread shearing and tearing of axons in the brain due to rapid acceleration or deceleration, typically seen in severe traumatic brain injuries.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed using advanced imaging techniques like MRI (particularly DTI) and clinical evaluation of symptoms.
Treatment:
Supportive care, including maintaining oxygenation, managing intracranial pressure, physical rehabilitation, and occupational therapy.
Medications:
No specific medications to repair axonal injury, but medications like amantadine (for arousal) or methylphenidate (for cognitive function) are used to support recovery. Antiepileptic drugs can prevent seizures.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common in severe traumatic brain injuries, particularly in motor vehicle accidents and falls.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
High-impact trauma, motor vehicle accidents, falls, and sports injuries.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Prognosis varies; severe cases may lead to persistent vegetative states or death, while milder cases may have partial recovery with long-term rehabilitation.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic neurological deficits, cognitive and behavioral changes, seizures, and reduced quality of life.