Veterans' Hospitals Pioneering New Traumatic Brain Injury Treatments
In response to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, government and academic researchers have been hard at work coming up with new ways to treat and manage the effects of traumatic brain injury.
August 01, 2012
Despite the heavy fighting that has gone on in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade, casualty rates have not been as high as they were in previous wars. Much of this can be attributed to advances in medical technology that enable soldiers to survive injuries that previously would have been fatal.The flip side of this coin, however, brings its own complications. Veterans are now returning home with life-long injuries that doctors must figure out how to treat. Chief among them are traumatic brain injuries, which many veterans sustain after suffering a blow to the head during an explosion or other similar attack.
In response to this epidemic, government and academic researchers have been hard at work coming up with new ways to treat and manage the effects of traumatic brain injury. In addition to helping injured veterans, their efforts will provide a path to recovery for the millions of Americans who suffer brain injuries in car crashes and other accidents.
Telehealth for Brain Injury Self-Management
One new treatment involves using telehealth to help veterans self-manage the symptoms of a mild traumatic brain injury. Telehealth is a relatively new field that uses information technology to help with health care.
The program is focused on creating an "adaptive algorithm" that can identify how much success brain injury patients are having with self-care.
Patients start by answering a short questionnaire on an iPad. Their answers are then run through a computer program that compares their responses to a much broader list of questions. The program provides doctors with precise data about patients' brain injury symptoms, thus allowing doctors to provide better recommendations about steps patients can take to manage their brain injuries.
The treatment is currently being piloted in five veterans' health care facilities. If it proves successful, it will likely be made available to civilian health care providers as well.
Help for Brain Injury Victims
In recent years, the international medical community has made great strides in addressing traumatic brain injuries. This is only one of the many new treatments currently being tested.
Unfortunately, many brain injury sufferers do not get these treatments, either because they do not know how to pay for it or because they do not know where to look.
A personal injury attorney can help with both of these problems. If the traumatic brain injury was caused by another person's negligence, an attorney can help the victim seek monetary damages, including compensation for medical expenses. In addition, an attorney can help victims connect with medical providers that are offering cutting-edge brain injury treatment.
If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, know that you are not alone. A Denver personal injury attorney can help you fight for your rights and protect your future.
Article provided by Coppola & Marlin PC
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