March is Brain Injury Awareness Month

March 19, 2021

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) leads the nation in observing Brain Injury Awareness Month in March each year. The theme for the 2021 to 2023 campaign is More Than My Brain Injury.

Join the #MoreThanMyBrainInjury Campaign

There are more than 5.3 million children and adults in the United States who are living with a permanent brain injury-related disability. That’s one in every 60 people.

If you know someone who is living with brain injury – or if you have one yourself – you know that a brain injury is not an event or an outcome. It’s the start of a misunderstood, misdiagnosed, underfunded neurological disease.

About Brain Injury

Brain injury is unpredictable in its consequences and can change everything about a person in a matter of seconds. Whether you or your loved one has sustained a brain injury, remember, you are not alone.

An acquired brain injury (ABI) is an injury to the brain that is not hereditary, congenital, degenerative, or induced by birth trauma. Essentially, this type of brain injury is one that has occurred after birth.

There are two types of acquired brain injury: traumatic and non-traumatic.

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as an alteration in brain function, or other evidence of brain pathology, caused by an external force or trauma. Traumatic impact injuries can be defined as closed (or non-penetrating) or open (penetrating).

A non-traumatic brain injury causes damage to the brain by internal factors, such as a lack of oxygen, exposure to toxins, pressure from a tumor, etc.

If you have had a TBI, rehabilitation therapy (or rehab) will be an important part of your recovery.

Rehab can take many forms depending on your needs, and might include physical, occupational, and speech therapy, as well as psychological care and social support. All of these are designed to help you recover from the effects of your injury as much as possible.

Rehab following TBI may:

Improve your ability to function at home and at work
Help treat the mental and physical problems caused by TBI
Provide social and emotional support
Help you adapt to changes as they occur during your recovery
And, if your injury was caused on the job, rehab can help you get back to work!

Rehab can also help prevent complications of TBI such as:

Pain
Muscle weakness and muscle spasms
Falls from compromised balance/coordination
Additional injuries that result from compromised safety awareness

Brain Injury Rehabilitation Therapy (BIRT) at NWRTW

BIRT outpatient treatment at NWRTW is integrated, comprehensive, and evidence-based to help workers with brain injuries return to work.

The goal of the program is to reduce and manage a client’s symptoms, improve overall condition, and teach skills/techniques to assist in the path to return to work.

Treatment is tailored to provide everyone an opportunity to reclaim his or her independence, self-efficacy, quality of life, and productivity.

To learn more about brain injury and how you can help, click HERE.

If you’ve suffered a brain or head injury in the workplace, or know someone who has, talk to your doctor or care coordinator about Northwest Return to Work in Lynnwood, WA. Our program is designed to help people recover from work related head injuries, so you can get back to work!

If your injury is the result of a crime, we may also be able to help you through your crime victim’s policy. CONTACT US for more information.

Josh Cobbley, OT

CEO, Northwest Return to Work