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Mental Health Services
What are the risk factors for developing mental health conditions after a concussion or other traumatic brain injury? What mental health services and resources are available?
Getting Top-Notch Care after a Concussion
Concussion clinics vary in terms of protocols and personnel. Neuropsychologist Richard Delmonico discusses one model in the Kaiser Permanente health system.
Three Alternative Treatment Modalities to Ease Brain Injury Associated Symptoms
Conventional treatments like medications may not help symptoms after a brain injury. Complementary or alternative treatments may help.
Treatment and Prognosis after a Concussion
Learn about treatments for post-concussion symptoms—including medication, various rehabilitation therapies, neuropsychology, and potentially some complementary therapies—as well as factors related to longer concussion recovery times.
Why is “Post-Concussion Syndrome” Controversial?
We do not yet have a clear understanding of what happens in the brain immediately after a concussion and over the days and months that follow, especially for those patients whose symptoms persist. Post-concussion symptom rates vary greatly among research studies, likely because the populations studied are diverse and so are the diagnostic criteria and timing of assessments. The wide variation in symptom rates highlights the fact that there is a lot we still don’t know about concussions.
Is Concussion a Diagnosis?
Clinicians like me say that concussion requires a clinical diagnosis based on the history of what happened to produce the symptoms. However, because these same symptoms appear in other conditions, and we don’t have reliable biomarkers, diagnosing a concussion can sometimes be a challenge. The lingering effects of a mild brain injury can also continue as a chronic condition, often referred to as post-concussion syndrome or persistent post-concussion symptoms, that still require treatment.
How Long Will It Take for My Child to Recover from a Concussion?
Children can experience a range of symptoms after concussion. They require individualized treatments and strategies for returning to activities and to school. A physician with training and experience in treating concussions must provide early interventions and follow-up, regardless of how long recovery takes.
Opioids Cause Problems After a Brain Injury
Stories of opioid-related disability and death are in the news frequently because of a surge in the use of these substances over the past few decades. For people with a history of brain injury, including concussions, the risks of using opioids are higher than for those without this medical history. Learn about the benefits and dangers of these substances, some of which are not only legal but widely prescribed for acute and chronic pain.
Concussions/Mild TBIs: Early Intervention to Achieve the Best Outcomes
In this Paradigm webinar, Dr. Elizabeth Sandel leads a discussion of concussion management that is based on a systematic, biopsychosocial model. She is joined by a Paradigm colleague, neuropsychologist Dr. Deborah Benson, to explore the evaluation and treatment of the complex issues for people with chronic symptoms.
Shaken Brain with Dr. Elizabeth Sandel on Recovery Now with Kim Justus
Dr. Sandel discusses brain injury medicine, a new subspecialty of medicine, and getting the best care after a concussion or more severe brain injury in the US. Kim Justus discusses her own history in regards to brain injury and her struggles to find care. She also discusses Dr. Sandel’s book, Shaken Brain, as a helpful resource for listeners.
Nurse Rona Interviews Dr. Elizabeth Sandel
Nurse Rona Renner of KPFA interviews Dr. Sandel about her book, Shaken Brain. They discuss the many causes of concussions and how patients are best evaluated and treated. She fields questions about the neurodegenerative conditions that are associated with brain injuries, especially repetitive brain injuries.
TBI in Active Military and Veterans
Military blast injuries can impact the brain, the lungs, the heart, and other organs in the body. Early diagnosis is very important. Dr. Sandel discusses brain injuries in the military with physiatrist Dr. Hetal Lakhani and her patient, Richard Reeves.
Discussion with Dr. Ernie Bryant
Dr. Ernie Bryant is a neuropsychologist with decades of experience treating people with brain injuries of all severities, including concussion. What is a neuropsychological evaluation? Dr. Bryant presents a case of a worker whose neuropsychological examination was complex as is often the case with brain injuries, especially concussions.
Veterans Can Face Both a Brain Injury and PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder can co-occur with a brain injury in military and civilian populations. Screening tests for PTSD should be used for any patient with a brain injury or suspected concussion. Symptoms for these two conditions can overlap, but all symptoms require management regardless of cause.
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