[By Dr. Matthew Sonagere, Chief Medical Officer, Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital]
Each year, more than two million Americans suffer some sort of brain injury, most frequently experienced as a concussion. At Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital in Schenectady, we see hundreds of these patients annually, many of whom are referred to us by doctors and other hospitals from across upstate New York and western New England. Their injuries result from any number of unpredictable situations, with effects that can be equally unpredictable. In a split second, a person’s life can change forever.
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, which makes it an excellent time to talk about acquired brain injury (ABI). An ABI is an injury to the brain that alters the brain’s nerve cells. There are two types of ABI: traumatic and non-traumatic.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as a disruption in the normal function of the brain, caused by an external force. Some common causes of TBI include falls, assaults, motor vehicle accidents, physical abuse, gunshot wounds, and sports or recreation injuries.
A non-traumatic brain injury is a change in brain function or pathology caused by an internal force such as a stroke, anoxia (lack of oxygen), seizure, tumor, drug overdose, or metabolic disorder.
The damaging effects of a brain injury begin immediately. Brain tissue reacts to the trauma with a series of biochemical and other physiological responses, destroying brain cells. A brain injury may affect physical, cognitive, behavioral, or communication skills.
Brain injury severity is often categorized as mild, moderate, or severe. The severity of damage to the brain is one of the primary factors in determining the long-term impact of the injury on an individual’s functioning and level of independence.
A brain injury can cause long-term problems with movement, communication, memory, vision, thinking, or reasoning skills. Emotional and personality changes can often occur with a patient post-injury. But, there are specialized brain injury rehabilitation programs designed to direct and maximize the patient’s recovery and overall functional outcome.
Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital, part of St. Peter’s Health Partners, offers specialized care for individuals with brain injury and their families. Our brain injury program is nationally recognized: just last week the prestigious Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) awarded us another three-year accreditation following a comprehensive review of our programs, services and outcomes. We’ve also earned CARF accreditation for our spinal cord injury, stroke, and amputation programs, and for Sunnyview’s overall inpatient rehabilitation.
Healing from a brain injury takes time and requires specialized care. Sunnyview offers a comprehensive continuum of care, both inpatient and outpatient, including our concussion management program and driving center. We work closely with each family to facilitate a patient’s return to school, work, or everyday life.
Sunnyview is fortunate to offer some of the most advanced technology to help patients regain their mobility following a brain injury. Resources and high-tech tools include the Litegait System, RT300 Leg and Arm Functional Electrical Stimulation Therapy System, Burt Upper- Limb therapy robot, Xcite Functional Electrical Stimulation Therapy System, and the ReWalk and Ekso robotic exoskeletons. Most recently we’ve acquired the Vector Mobility and Balance System for our new therapy gym that’s part of Sunnyview’s recent $11 million expansion and renovation.
To learn more about how Sunnyview might be able to help you or someone you love, call 518-382-4516 or visit Brain Injury | Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital | Schenectady, NY.
