The brain controls the body. It regulates how we think, feel, see, breathe and altogether function. When the brain is damaged in any way, it impacts how a person operates in their daily life.
Brain injuries are common. Almost 3 million people in the U.S. sustain some form of a traumatic brain injury each year.
In Chico, the nonprofit Brain Injury Coalition is focused on educating people about brain injuries and advocating for survivors. March marks National Brain Injury Awareness Month and the coalition is reminding people to take care of their brain health.
“If you think you may have hurt yourself or hit your head, or if you're having persistent problems, make sure you check it out,” said Landa Bell-Carson, the president of the Brain Injury Coalition.
Types of brain injuries
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a type of acquired brain injury that is usually caused by an external force. This can be caused by a number of things, including car accidents, falls, sports injuries, assault or explosive blasts.
A non-traumatic brain injury, on the other hand, is damage to the brain caused by internal forces. That can be a stroke, aneurysm, lack of oxygen or an infectious disease like meningitis.
Physical symptoms of brain injury can include dizziness to speech problems to memory loss (a full list is below). But brain injuries can also impact a person’s mental health.
About one in five people who experience a mild TBI may experience mental health issues up to six months afterward. People often develop anxiety and depression after a brain injury. And about one in 60 people live with a disability as a result from a TBI, Bell-Carson said.
“The reality is, there are so many brain injuries that go undiagnosed or recognized, so we really don't know exactly how many. This is just an estimated amount,” she said.
That’s because people might not follow up with doctors after sustaining an injury like a concussion or getting hit in the head. Symptoms also overlap with other medical conditions, and textbook symptoms might not even appear immediately after brain damage occurs.
“I have definitely worked with people who did not lose consciousness and have had persistent difficulties after having an incident where they actually had a concussion and did not realize it,” Bell-Carson said.
Brain injuries also impact a wide range of people at different times in their lives, she said.
“Brain injuries don't discriminate, so it can happen to anyone,” Bell-Carson said.
However, some people are more at risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control, racial minorities, veterans, unhoused people, survivors of domestic violence and people living in rural areas are more likely to get a TBI.
Brain Injury Coalition
The Brain Injury Coalition opened in Chico in 2004. Bell-Carson said the coalition currently works regularly with around 100 people with brain injuries.
They provide monthly support group meetings, music therapy groups, book clubs, referrals to brain injury services and educational outreach within the community. Bell-Carson said their goal is to support people living with brain injuries, and to help their families or support network better understand the condition.
The coalition also partners with multiple local agencies to hold an annual workshop. Partner agencies have included Passages Caregiver Resource Center, Haley Music Therapy, Butte County Public Health and local attorneys.
This year’s workshop was “Stronger Minds: Strategies for a Healthy Brain and Future” and focused on strategies and resources on maintaining a healthy brain and preventing injuries.
Some prevention methods include:
- Protect your head: wear helmets when riding a bike or playing sports and wear a seatbelt in a car
- Never drive under the influence
- Avoid falling: talk with a doctor about your risk of falling and how to prevent it, look at how medications can impact your mobility, do strength and balance exercises
- Make sure your home is safe for children
However, Bell-Carson said keeping your brain healthy is a full time job and includes exercising, eating healthy food and getting good sleep. All impact brain health.
“Those are all very important things, not only as we grow older, but after injury, or for all of us just to take care of our brain,” she said.
Brain injury symptoms
Brain injuries vary in severity and how they present themselves. However, Bell-Carson said that there are common symptoms.
“I think the one thing we can say is that there are no two brains alike, but saying that, there are consequences that people do many times suffer,” she said.
