Archive for September, 2016
By Paul Stone On September 29th, 2016
After months of rehabilitation from a brain injury, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will finally be appearing at major racing events this weekend – though he won’t be racing. The famous driver has not raced since early July, due to complicated and long-lasting post-concussion symptoms, and has already decided to sit out the rest of the season…
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By Paul Stone On September 27th, 2016
The number of concussion diagnoses made every year has reached record highs in the past few years, according to a new report from Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. The numbers suggest the increase in concussion awareness and new regulations in sports organizations have led to better monitoring and fewer missed brain injuries among athletes. The…
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By Paul Stone On September 26th, 2016
Doctors and scientists have believed a link exists between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) since the two conditions became the signature injuries of veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, research is confirming those beliefs with findings that suggest concussive bomb blasts may make brains more vulnerable to…
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By jasonmaddox On September 24th, 2016
Much comparison has been made of the shootings this week in Tulsa and Charlotte. In both deaths of Terance Crutcher and Keith Lamont Scott by police this week, the factor of disability ties these events together. In Tulsa it was vision and hearing loss, and in Charlotte, it was brain injury. In the video of…
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By Paul Stone On September 22nd, 2016
As the fall sports season kicks into high gear, you can expect to see some stunning throws, unbelievable catches, and devastating hits in high school and college football stadiums across the country. Unfortunately, those brutal clashes mean you can also expect to see concussions. Concussion education efforts have helped raise awareness of concussions in sports,…
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By jasonmaddox On September 21st, 2016
The start of the 2016 fall conference season will take staff members from the Neurologic Rehabilitation Institute at Brookhaven Hospital throughout the United States and into Canada. Dr. Rolf B. Gainer will present “Loss of Self: The Task of Building a New Identity,” at the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) conference in Sioux…
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By Paul Stone On September 20th, 2016
For the first time, a group of researchers has shown that people who experience continuing symptoms from a concussion have abnormal levels of specific proteins in the brain and spinal column compared to those who have not experienced concussions. According to the results of the small study published in JAMA Neurology this week, these proteins…
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By jasonmaddox On September 16th, 2016
Over the last few years, I have been writing and presenting on the topic of Loss of Self. My awareness of the role of loss has grown from my work with people living with brain injury and the depression which many of them experience and the long term outcome studies we are operating where loss…
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By Paul Stone On September 15th, 2016
While recent research has shed a great deal of light onto the mechanisms underlying concussions, there are still many myths and misconceptions surrounding the common brain injuries. A new study set out to dispel one such misleading claim that playing sports at higher altitudes reduces athletes’ risk of concussions. As the findings published this month…
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By Paul Stone On September 13th, 2016
While the majority of people who experience a concussion have their symptoms fade away within a few weeks, some continue to struggle with symptoms for months and sometimes even years. These lingering symptoms are often treated one-by-one, with a focus on solving the individual issues that may be contributing to the symptoms. But, a new…
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