Traumatic Brain Injury, Addiction and Mild Hyperbaric Treatment
by Holistic Lifestyles Radio on Oct.19, 2010, under Home
The CDC estimated that 5.3 million Americans live with disabilities due to brain injury and that 67% of people in rehabilitation for brain injury have a previous history of substance abuse (Thurman, 1998). 50% of these people will return to using alcohol and drugs after the injury (Corrigan, 1995).120% of persons with brain injuries who did not use alcohol or drugs prior to the injury, were vulnerable to alcohol and drug use after the injury (Corrigan, 1995). 1 Each year in America, 1,000,000 people are seen by doctors due to a blow to the head. Of those people, 50,000 to 100,000 will have prolonged problems that will affect their ability to work and/or their daily lives. 1
Brain injury can impair attention, reasoning and perception; can cause an inability to analyze and synthesize information, impaired social judgment, reduced inhibition, and poor comprehension. (Ylvisaker and Szekeres in Chapey, 1994 retrieved from http://www.csuchico.edu)
1Kipnis, S., Foster, M., Killar, R, Lincourt, P., Sutter, C., and Oswald, S. “THE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY AND CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY CONNECTION” retrieved from www.oasas.state.ny.us/admed/documents/TBIworkbook.ppt on 8/4/2010 TBI – Traumatic Brain Injury – is sudden physical damage to the brain from an external force that temporarily or permanently disrupts normal brain function. Brain characteristics and functions that can be affected include consciousness, speech and language, memory, mobility, personality and others.
TBI is commonly caused by Car Accidents and Sports-related Injuries. Personality and Behavioral Changes associated with TBI include reduced or diminished social skills, emotional control and mood swings, inappropriate behavior, reduced self-esteem, depression, anxiety, frustration, stress, reduced self awareness (often misunderstood as denial), self-centeredness, anger management and coping skill problems, decreased motivation and irritability or agitation.
TBI and addiction seem to go hand-in-hand according to the statistics. And there are Holistic solutions to TBI. mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment (HBOT) can support brain tissue repair and reduce the experience of symptoms during the healing process.
Not too long ago, doctors and scientists thought that once damaged, tissue in the brain could not heal. Recently doctors using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) have demonstrated that not only can brain tissue heal, even brain tissue with old injuries can be restored to functioning.
HBOT is a method of administering increased levels of oxygen at greater than atmospheric pressure to a patient in order to help heal tissue damage. HBOT appears to be effective at restoring cell function to tissue everywhere in the body — including the brain. By providing increased oxygen levels in a pressurized chamber we are able to deliver higher concentrations of oxygen than the brain normally receives through breathing. Some of the effects this has are to promote the growth of new blood vessels, to decrease swelling and inflammation, to deactivate and promote the release of toxins — and to promote overall healing. Advantages of HBOT include that it is cost-effective, noninvasive, and safe and works well with other treatments.
I came to G & G Holistic after multiple treatment episodes at other treatment centers. I had a history of methamphetamine abuse, hepatitis C and was diagnosed as a bi-polar. At intake I remember that I actually the therapist that this was probably my last chance. At that time, I was unemployed and unemployable, had no real friends and no place to live.
I was one of the first people to use the Hyperbaric therapy regularly. I have a standing appointment pretty much everyday. My ability to think and make decisions has improved beyond what I ever imagined. When I came to treatment, I was diagnosed as having bi-polar disorder as well. The use of the hyperbaric chamber and the nutraceuticals that I take as part of the hyperbaric therapy has helped to moderate my bi-polar. I still take medications for bi-polar. I probably always will. But now that I have been using the hyperbarics, I think they can actually work better.
I know that I am working better.
Additional information retrieved from http://www.allabouttbi.com/.
