On the heels of brain injury awareness month, which is observed each year in March, a University of Texas Medical Branch Neurologist wants everyone to know how serious even seemingly mild injuries are to the brain.
Often called “the silent injury,” brain injuries have left approximately five million Americans disabled.
“I think the take-home message is, there’s nothing benign about a brain injury,” said Dr. Brent Masel, neurologist and professor of Neurology at the UTMB, “Be it just a mild concussion or be it something more severe.”
Masel said that the most common symptoms of brain injury are cognitive loss, lack of concentration and fatigue. If someone is symptomatic, he suggests that they see a neurologist for a closer look.
“The key is prevention,” he said, citing such common practices as using safety belts when in a moving vehicle. He says that falling is the most common cause of brain injuries in older people.
Contact sports and risky behavior are main causes with younger people. Protective headgear should always be used when participating in possibly injurious activities like cycling, football and others.
Dr. Brent Masel has conducted research and has approximately 50 publications in the areas of brain injury rehabilitation including virtual reality, hyperbaric oxygen treatment, sleep abnormalities, metabolic abnormalities, hormonal dysfunction, and the long-term medical issues from chronic brain injury.
UTMB Health Neurology Services