Some Things Research Tells Us About Brain Injuries
Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are far more commonplace than you might think. Brain injury typically is caused by blunt force impact to your skull, or by an event (such as a car accident) that results in your neck snapping back and forth, and it leaves millions of Americans disabled. Let’s take a look at some of the hard numbers, as gathered by Research America.
- An estimated 5.3 million people across the United States currently live with a TBI-related disability.
- Military personnel have a much greater likelihood of suffering a traumatic brain injury. Nearly one of every four American soldiers may have suffered a TBI. Most traumatic brain injuries suffered by military personnel are mild, but they also tend to recur, for example by repeated exposure to explosions and blasts.
- The costs associated with traumatic brain injuries are staggering—more than $11 billion annually in medical costs, and nearly six times that much ($65 billion) in lost worker productivity and other non-medical costs
- Traumatic brain injury can be deadly, with approximately 57,000 fatalities every year linked to TBI, including more than 2,500 children. Research is promising, though, suggesting that a procedure to remove part of the skull—known as decompressive surgery—can cut fatality rates nearly in half.
- Hospital ER visits related to traumatic brain injuries increased by nearly 70% over a recent eight-year period, while the rate of actual hospitalizations remained the same.
- The leading cause of TBI-related hospital visits during that same eight-year period was unintentional falls. Nearly three times as many people seek treatment after a fall than after being struck in the head, and almost four times as many TBI ER visits involve falls than motor vehicle accidents.
Contact Us to Set Up an Appointment
At Advantage Healthcare Systems, we have extensive experience working successfully with individuals who suffer a concussion or other type of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Call us toll-free at 1-877-487-8289 or fill out the form provided below to schedule an assessment. We offer locations across Texas, including Fort Worth, Dallas, and San Antonio.
