Brain Injuries

With the prevalence of news about brain injuries seemingly being reported on a regular basis, many may be surprised to learn that they can at times be difficult to identify. This difficulty is mostly due to the inability to actually see the physical damage done inside the brain. In an effort to improve the diagnosis of brain injuries, a new tool is being tested by scientists. The MRI-based tool is designed to highlight the breaks

Though March is National Brain Injury Awareness month, for those who have suffered a serious brain injury, it is unlikely that a day goes by where he or she does not think about it. This is because in some cases, even after the person appears to heal from the injuries, there can be lingering side-effects. Nationwide, each year 1.7 million people sustain brain injuries of varying degrees. Depending on the person and the way in

Scientists at UCLA have uncovered a causal link between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and increased risk for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other anxiety disorders. Even mild brain injuries increase the risk of developing anxiety disorders. As a result, after a TBI, people should avoid stressful situations, whenever possible.

The administration of anesthesia for surgery has to be handled with care. There are many risks involved, especially the potential that the patient will become hypoxic. When not enough blood gets to the brain, the result can be a serious brain injury. This risk can be particularly acute for the very youngest patients in Florida and throughout the nation. All aspects of the underlying science not yet fully understood. But a recent research study called

Football players and coaches in Florida and across the country should take a close look at a recent CNN story on brain injuries. It could inspire coaches and players of all ages to take extra precautions to lessen the biggest of hits on the football field. Football fans love the biggest collisions. Just listen to the cheers in a stadium when a safety levels a wide receiver or a linebacker pummels a running back. The

Recently there has been much in the news regarding professional athletes and concussions. The long-term effects of this type of brain injury are being studied by multiple research groups and so far the results are astounding. Both the National Football League and the National Hockey League have been front and center in recent reports.

A dozen former National Football League players have sued the NFL for failing to prevent or mitigate their brain injury when the League knew that concussions on the gridiron could lead to long-term brain injuries. One of the plaintiffs is a former Florida player who signed a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins but was released after a few months. The players’ lawsuit focuses on the use of the drug Toradol, an anti-inflammatory pain reliever.

Many hockey fans in Florida and throughout the country were stunned and saddened by the sudden death of National Hockey League player Derek Boogaard, in May of this year. His death was attributed to an accidental overdose. After five seasons with the Minnesota Wild, at the time of his death, he was playing for the New York Rangers. He spent a majority of the 2010 season sitting on the bench after sustaining a concussion, a

In the past we have written about the danger of sustaining head injuries when playing full contact sports such as football and hockey. It appears that another sport, soccer, is being added to the list of those potentially causing brain injuries. Recent research, the findings on which were presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), indicates moving the ball with one’s head too often could damage one’s brain. Known

In our last post we discussed concussions and the National Football League. In this post we change gears a bit to write about such brain injuries in the National Hockey League. Following more severe punishments and better enforcement for hits to the head, the NHL has announced that concussions have dramatically decreased in the beginning of the new season. The NHL announced the news at the first general manager meeting of the season, saying that