Alternative Therapies For The Head Injury Survivor

About TBI

In my years as Behavior Specialist, Rehabilitation Services Coordinator and Alternative Therapies Specialist, I have found the following to be true of most TBI:

• Most people with TBI can lead functional and rewarding lives of they receive functional assistance.
• Most of the brain healing takes place within the first 18 months of a head injury; however, I have worked with individuals that have continued to improve for five years and more.
• Options and choices are very important (as they are with everyone). Guided choices and options work well when convincing and communicating.
• Most dysfunctional behaviors can be modified with the use of behavior techniques. I have written many behavior programs that have helped individuals to be functional at home, school and work. Behaviors are positive and may make sense only to the person doing them.
• Most individuals heal the best (cognitively) when they are on the fewest medications.
• Alternative therapies work, if used properly.
• Advocates are important, to assure that an individual receives functional rehabilitation. Non-professional, intelligent, informed advocates and care givers can be effective, in helping TBI individuals to effectively and functionally re-enter their lives (get better).
• Proper, specified nutrition is important to facilitate healing.
• Brain and body chemistry both change after a TBI. This is caused by physical damage, chemicals (drugs) and the plasma amino acid abnormalities that exist after the TBI.
• TBIs cause life changes and with effective help life gets better!

I will post a paper written by me on alternative and complimentary therapies for TBI that will speed the healing process and improve cognitive function and an introduction to behavior management. All of this is intended to get you started, make you more knowledgeable and put you more in control of your life. There is much more for you to learn about alternative therapies.

Alzheimer’s and Mild Cognitive Impairment information

• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) cause permanent life changes.
• TBI damage to the brain can be so significant that the life changes are profound.
• Alternative therapies can and do facilitate healing.
• Alternative therapies are an important part of the treatment of TBI.
• Alternative therapies are effective if used properly.
• TBI recovery/rehabilitation is about brain and body chemistry, you can and will learn the basics.

An advocate is important, real knowledge is power and serves you well. Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) cause permanent life changes. It is important that individuals who have suffered a TBI have someone close to them that they can trust to assure they are receiving effective therapy for their injury. During the first days, weeks, months or years after suffering a TBI it is common for an individual to be confused, disoriented and not able to make functional decisions. Without knowledgeable, effective advocate support, the injured individual may not receive effective treatment.

Each year in the United States there are more than two million diagnosed TBI. If you are one of the unfortunate individuals, who has suffered a TBI you could experience deficiencies in: receptive and expressive language; anxiety management; walking and the use of upper extremities; learning; orientation to time and space; immediate, short- and long-term memory; safety measures and judgement. A person who has suffered a TBI might also experience: anger; frustration; seizures; changes in visual, hearing and kinesthetic senses; lack of awareness of deficits and more. It is rare for an individual who has suffered TBI to be able to return to their former life, as it existed prior to the incident.

continue ---->