Brain Injury Rehabilitation

Overview

A brain injury is any injury to the brain and can be caused by both trauma and disease. Causes of brain injury can include: head trauma, disease, bleed, anoxia and hypoxia.

Trauma to the brain might have occurred as the result of an accident, a fall, a road traffic accident or an assault. In these cases the brain injury is called a ‘traumatic brain injury’.

Illnesses such as meningitis, encephalitis, brain haemorrhages/ strokes can result in a brain injury. An ‘acquired brain injury’ is a term often used to describe an injury to the brain that has been caused by events after birth, rather than being caused by a disorder with a genetic origin.

Potential Effects of a brain injury (not an exhaustive list)

The effects of brain injury depend greatly upon the part of the brain affected and how widespread the damage is.

• Changes to processing speed
• Difficulties with memory, understanding, concentration, problem solving.
• Communication problems.
• Changes to emotional reactions and behaviour.
• Executive dysfunction – problems with planning and organising.
• Movement, balance and co-ordination.
• Dyspraxia.
• Loss of Sensation/sensory sensitivity.
• Fatigue.
• Headaches.
• Spasticity.
• Muscle weakness and paralysis.
• Depression.

Brain Injury Rehabilitation Methods (not an exhaustive list)

Rehabilitation in brain injury is undertaken in partnership between the clients and their family and a multidisciplinary team of professionals with knowledge and experience in the highly specialised area of brain injury rehabilitation.

Treatments are centred around the desired outcomes and goals of the individual and may include:

• Vocational rehabilitation or adaptations to maintain employment.
• Adaptations to the home environment.
• Exercise programme to increase fitness, stamina and endurance.
• Fatigue management.
• Functional Electrical Stimulation.
• Dynamic balance work.
• Stretches to relieve spasticity and spasms.
• Hydrotherapy– using the support, pressure, resistance and warmth provided by the water to increase therapeutic benefit.
• Work to maintain/increase independence in activities of daily living, including washing and dressing, preparing meals, shopping.
• Transfer practice.
• Development of communication strategies.
• Splinting.
• Cognitive rehabilitation therapy to address cognitive challenges.
• Support to maximise community and social integration.

Keiro offers support for individuals with a brain injury via our rehabilitation and specialist nursing services in Whickham, Newcastle and in Middlesbrough, Teesside.

If you would like any further information about how Keiro can help individuals who have a brain injury please contact us using the form to the right.