Man Wanders Off; Project Lifesaver Alerts Authorities
Gary Post-Tribune / March 12, 2010
A 46-year-old man with a traumatic brain injury was found eating lunch at Panera Bread nearly 40 minutes after he had wandered off from his doctor's office Thursday afternoon.
Brain Injury Blood Test
WSOC-TV, Charlotte / March 12, 2010
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a head injury that affects the function of the brain. The injury can range from mild to severe and may or may not cause a break or penetration of the skull.
Unanimity to Ban Blindside Hits to the Head
The New York Times / March 11, 2010
In a move that signals a shift in the culture of professional hockey in North America, N.H.L. general managers on Wednesday unanimously recommended a rule that would penalize blindside checks to the head.
Military Services Beginning New Focus on Traumatic Brain Injuries
San Bernardino County Sun / March 10, 2010
Researchers have found that when the brain is injured, it needs rest to recover. But a second injury as the brain is recuperating from the first can cause brain cells to die, resulting in a permanent loss of function -- or even death. Recognition of this process is why last week the Pentagon said it would be pulling troops out of combat for 24 hours after exposure to the jarring effects of a roadside bomb, even if they appear uninjured and say they want to return to combat.
NHL GMs Recommend Ban on Blindside Head Hits
CTV Montreal / March 10, 2010
NHL general managers have wrapped up three days of meetings with a framework for a penalty for hits to the head. The new rule would allow referees to assess a minor or major penalty for blindside hits to the head.
NFL Brain Collector Shows Violence in Slices of Gray Matter
Business Week / March 10, 2010
Five years of hell ended in a hard death. Lou Creekmur suffered 13 broken noses and 16 concussions as a Hall-of-Fame lineman for the National Football League's Detroit Lions, and in retirement saw 14 doctors who couldn't explain his anger and forgetfulness. He died at 82 on July 5, 2009, on a bed three inches too short, in a hospice eight miles from home. Then Chris Nowinski called.
FDA Extends Use of Botox in Treating Spasms
The New York Times / March 9, 2010
The Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday it had approved Allergan’s Botox to treat spasms of the elbow, wrist and fingers.
Getting 'Your Bell Rung' in Hockey is Not Music to Anyone's Ears
Medill Chicago / March 9, 2010
Concussions are becoming an increasingly high-profile sports injury, especially since the NFL announced it would be making stricter guidelines for when a player should be allowed to return to games or practices. More worrisome and less publicized are the increasing number of concussions among younger players.
Woodstock Teen Survives Texting Crash
WXIA-TV (GA) / March 9, 2010
Bronte Wright is bent over her notebook, the late afternoon sun streaming through her family's dining room. At first glance, Bronte could be any other fresh faced senior at Sequoyah High School in Cherokee County, but a closer look reveals a tear drop shaped scar at the hollow of her throat - a constant reminder.
A Little Black Box to Jog Failing Memory
The New York Times / March 9, 2010
On a cold, wet afternoon not long ago, Aron Reznick sat in the lounge of a home for the elderly here, his silver hair neatly combed, his memory a fog. He could not remember Thanksgiving dinner with his family, though when he was given a hint — “turkey” — it came back to him, vaguely, like a shadow in the moonlight.
N.H.L. General Managers Mull Ban on Some Hits to Head
The New York Times / March 9, 2010
The N.H.L. general managers opened their annual meeting Monday leaning toward recommending a rule change that would penalize some hits to the head deemed legal under current rules.
Bruins' Savard Receives Concussion in Loss to Penguins
The Boston Globe / March 8, 2010
Instead of traveling with his teammates to Toronto last night after a 2-1 loss to the Penguins at Mellon Arena, Marc Savard stayed behind at the team hotel in Pittsburgh, left in no shape to fly because of a blind-side jolt to the head delivered by Matt Cooke.
Helena Pitches Device for Detecting Carpel Tunnel, Traumatic Brain Injury
Helena Independent Record / March 8, 2010
The device is portable and compact, and when Charles Paske sets it on the table and describes its medical uses, it’s hard not to shrug him off the way he’s been shrugged off so many times before.
Latest Shots to Head May Spur GMs to Action
The Calgary Herald / March 8, 2010
National Hockey League general managers begin a three-day meeting today to decide how to crack down on head shots, which is good news, a laudable, promised followup to a November session at which some encouraging, enlightened words were uttered on this critical subject.
Safety Helmets While Riding Horses Saves Lives
Examiner.com / March 7, 2010
Last week 2008 Olympian Courtney King-Dye was critically injured at a farm in Loxahatchee. Courtney had asked for a leg yield; the horse got tangled up in his own legs, tripped and fell. Courtney hit her head, fractured her skull causing bleeding in her brain. She was airlifted to St. Mary's Hospital in West Palm Beach and remains in a coma. Courtney was not wearing a helmet.
Concussions on the Rise in College Hoops
Sports Illustrated / March 5, 2010
Diving for a loose ball during a summer pickup game, North Carolina center Tyler Zeller knocked heads with another player. It left him with a headache, nothing he was too worried about. Next day, Zeller learned it was a bit more: tests revealed he had a concussion.
DCoE, Football Players Spread the Message About Concussions
Defense Centers of Excellence / March 4, 2010
What do warriors and professional football players have in common? Both are susceptible to sustaining concussions – whether in-theater or on the gridiron. And both are sometimes reluctant to seek treatment for fear of being seen as weak or forced to sit out of the action to recover.
Research Shows Promise for Wounded Warriors
Department of Defense / March 4, 2010
A sign on the highway identifying the exit ramp for Fort Detrick gives little indication of the revolutionalry science being advanced behind its gates -- aimed at unlocking everything from cures for breast and prostate cancer to new ways to treat post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.
Pentagon Will Pull Troops in Bomb Attacks from Battle for 24 Hours
CNN / March 3, 2010
U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan targeted in roadside bomb attacks will be pulled from duty and examined for 24 hours before being cleared for battle again, Pentagon officials told CNN Tuesday.
Senate Panel Removes DUI Penalties from Brain Injury Bill
The Charleston Gazette / March 2, 2010
Advocates are questioning why state senators removed fees on drunken drivers in a proposal meant to generate funds for people with brain injuries. The original legislation (SB657) would boost fees for accident reports and impose $50 fees on DUI offenders. That money would help pay for services for West Virginians with traumatic brain injuries.
Radiation Risks Spur Push to Reduce CT Scans
The Wall Street Journal / March 2, 2010
For millions of patients, a CT scan can mean the difference between life and death, detecting a brain tumor, blood clot or burst appendix in seconds. But federal regulators, radiology groups and hospitals are launching efforts to scale back use of the scans, also called CAT scans, amid growing evidence that they are exposing millions of patients to radiation that may elevate the risk of cancer in the future.
Brain Injury Awareness Month Highlights Facts About Head Trauma
Air Force Link / March 2, 2010
Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, has been labeled a "signature injury" of the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also occurs in non-combat settings in association with motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries, assaults and falls. In 2009, Department of Defense officials reported 20,199 cases of TBI among military service members.
Moderated Excercise May Ease Post-Concussive Syndrome, New Study Finds
The National Post / March 1, 2010
Traumatic brain injury (concussion) is common. It can make your life miserable with headache, insomnia, dizziness, fatigue, and irritability. The good news is that these symptoms usually fade after a week of modified activities. But not in everybody. For a significant minority (especially significant if it's you), the symptoms linger. The condition is called post-concussion syndrome, and from what we see in our sports medicine practice, it can be hard to shake.
Pentagon Focuses on Brain Trauma
USA Today / March 1, 2010
Troops caught near a roadside blast will be pulled out of combat for 24 hours and checked for a mild traumatic brain injury, even if they appear unhurt or say they are fine, according to a treatment policy the Pentagon is planning to release.
These Winter Games Went to the Extremes
The Orange County Register / March 1, 2010
While the Vancouver cauldron was lit, we spent the past 17 days watching not the Olympics but a mutant form of extreme games upon steep mountains, icy rinks as smooth as glass, treacherous sliding chutes and ski jumps and halfpipes that launch athletes more than four stories into the Canadian sky.
Human Brains Grow, Change and Can Heal Themselves
The Dallas Morning News / March 1, 2010
By the time Scott Hayner of Highland Park was 7, he had had one skull fracture and three major concussions from falling off horses. Nobody connected those accidents to the difficulties he had in school as he acted out, stopped talking for three months and cried daily for two years.
Gratitude at the Slopes
Gettysburg Times / March 1, 2010
U.S. Army Corporal Michael Ralda was a member of a seven-man recon team in Afghanistan when his position was attacked at 2 o'clock one morning. When the shooting ended, a 7.62mm bullet had nearly destroyed Ralda's left leg. Ralda was one of 15 Wounded Warriors treated to a weekend away from the normal routine of psychological evaluations and physical rehabilitation exercises, at Ski Liberty.
A Little Paint Goes a Long Way
The Desert Dispatch
/ February 28, 2010
Things started looking brighter for the Dotsons early Saturday morning, thanks to 72 volunteers who showed up at the Barstow, CA family's home at 7:00 a.m.
YMCA Instructor Back in the Swim of Things
Northwest Observer / February 28, 2010
When Carrie Burt didn't show up to teach her swimming class at the Spears Family YMCA last Aug. 15, concerned co-workers tried in vain to reach her. Little did they know that at that moment, rescue workers were en route to Moses Cone Hospital with Burt.
NFL Considers Rules Changes to Combat Concussions
The Washington Post / February 26, 2010
Leaders of the NFL and the players' union are studying the possibilities of curtailing teams' offseason practices and placing restrictions on the amount of hitting allowed between players during training camp and the regular season, officials said.
NFL Considers Rules to Reduce Concussions for Ballcarriers
USA Today / February 26, 2010
A receiver leveled as he's reaching for a pass is clearly considered a defenseless player by NFL law, but a running back who is struck in the head while his forward progress is stopped is fair game. Such a rulebook disparity could soon change.
As Vancouver Olympics Have Shown, Winter Sports Can Have a Deadly Allure
The Sacramento Bee / February 26, 2010
Turn on the television and watch them soar and twist through the air, hurtle down a mountain or race through an icy, narrow chute in search of Olympic glory. And know that danger lurks all too close for winter sports athletes.
Skier C.R. Johnson Killed at Squaw Valley
ESPN / February 25, 2010
Twenty-six-year-old C.R. Johnson was killed today while skiing at Squaw Valley, Calif. According to a statement issued by the resort, the Lake Tahoe native caught an edge on exposed rocks while entering the Light Towers area above the Cornice II lift. He fell through rocks before coming to a rest several hundred yards below the entry. Ski Patrol were on the scene within minutes, but efforts to revive Johnson failed. He was reportedly wearing a helmet.
Should Soccer Players Wear Head Protection?
KPBS / February 24, 2010
Lots of parents are relieved when their sons choose soccer over football as their team sport. Football is thought of as a game where young kids can get badly injured...soccer, not so much. And the parents whose daughters take up soccer are often thrilled their girls can play on a team, without much risk of injury. But, unfortunately, the statistics tell a different story.
Okla. Commission Investigating Toughman's Death
USA Today / February 24, 2010
The death of a Toughman Contest participant who apparently suffered a head injury during a weekend event is being investigated by the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission, the commission's director said Wednesday.
Economy's Down, but Value of Brain Injury Cases Isn't
Finance & Commerce / February 24, 2010
It’s a truism that juries, and hence insurance companies, become tight-fisted with damages arising from personal injury lawsuits during a recession, but that isn’t necessarily accurate when it comes to catastrophic injuries, such as traumatic brain damage. Some attorneys who handle such cases have found that if anything, the recession has encouraged them.
Communication from Belgian Coma Patient Proven False Three Months After Study
Brain and Spinal Cord.org / February 24, 2010
Not to be confused with the recent breakthroughs in brainwave communication with supposed vegetative patients recently reported on this blog, multiple news releases have said that a Belgian coma patient who was supposedly communicating with a speech therapist by way of arm movements was never communicating after all.
Snowboarder Battles Back from Brain Injury
WCAX, VT / February 23, 2010
Eric Vincent cherishes every moment he gets to spend on the slopes. The 19-year-old Champlain College student from Rhode Island has been snowboarding since he was 5 years old. But ask him to talk about last winter and there's not much he can tell you.
Revolutionary Motorcycle Helmet Inspired by Human Skin to Reduce Traumatic Brain Injuries
Inventor Spot / February 23, 2010
This motorcycle helmet is designed to save your scalp. Not just your scalp, but your brain, because it's your brain that can suffer permanent impairment if you get tossed from a motorcycle. Now, if you survive such a toss, it's very possible you will suffer Traumatic Brain Injury and/or spinal cord injury. But this helmet's been 15 years in the making so that it can offer nearly 70 percent more protection against TBI than other motorcycle helmets.
Kevin Pearce Watches Olympics from Brain Injury Facility
Brain and Spinal Cord.org / February 23, 2010
Will Kevin Pearce ever snowboard again? That was the first question that came out of Kevin’s mouth when he regained consciousness and the ability to speak after sustaining a traumatic brain injury on an icy halfpipe in Utah in December 2009.
Boxer Yamaki Dies After Brain Injury
The Japan Times / February 23, 2010
Boxer Hirokazu Yamaki died at a hospital Monday after sustaining a traumatic brain injury during a bout on the weekend in Tokyo, the Japan Boxing Commission said.
Study Measures Will Impact Traumatic Brain Injury on Soldiers
The Epoch Times / February 21, 2010
Imagine that you are a soldier in Afghanistan. You’re riding in the passenger seat of a U.S. Army-issued Humvee and all of a sudden there is an explosion. Next, you find yourself in an Army medical facility and the doctor stands over you and says your vehicle struck a roadside bomb, but you and your fellow soldier are fine, just a few broken bones here and there.
Brain at the Breaking Point
Science News / February 20, 2010
Rigid pathways in brain cell connections buckle and break when stretched, scientists report, a finding that could aid in the understanding of exactly what happens when traumatic brain injuries occur.
Amino Acids Shown to Be Effective at Treating Brain Injuries
Natural News / February 19, 2010
Researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have found in a lab study that amino acids are highly effective at restoring cognitive function and balancing neurochemical levels in those who have undergone brain trauma. Conducted on mice who had been inflicted with traumatic brain damage, the study holds promising potential for humans with similar injuries.
Multi-Hospital Study Tests Progesterone as Brain Injury Treatment
Brain and Spinal Cord Injury.org / February 19, 2010
A study will commence at 17 hospitals around the country in the spring of 2010 to determine the effectiveness of progesterone as an emergency treatment for traumatic brain injuries.
A Sexy New Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury?
Science Now / February 19, 2010
The hormone progesterone is best known for its work in the female reproductive system, where it plays various roles in supporting pregnancy. But starting next month, it will be the focus of a phase III clinical trial for traumatic brain injury.
Belgian Coma Patient Can't Communicate After All, Doctor Acknowledges After Testing
The Canadian Press / February 19, 2010
It was heralded as a medical miracle. After spending more than two decades in a coma, Rom Houben, a Belgian man in his mid-forties, was suddenly able to communicate, news reports trumpeted last November.
Olympic Athlete Had Filed Warnings About Safety of Luge Track
The New York Times / February 18, 2010
British Columbia — An Olympic luge athlete injured in a crash at the Whistler Sliding Centre in November warned Canadian officials about safety hazards at the track months before a competitor was killed last week at the Vancouver Games in an accident on the same course. Werner Hoeger, who competed in the Turin and Salt Lake Games for Venezuela, said he lost consciousness and sustained a concussion during a botched training run on Nov. 13 after his sled caromed off an opening in the wall near the women’s start ramp.
Star's Top Challenger Watches Olympics from Brain Injury Facility
The Vancouver Sun / February 18, 2010
There may be only one man who could have beaten Shaun White in the men's halfpipe final at Cypress Mountain. And no, it's not the "Animal" within. We're talking about one of the few snowboarders to have defeated the two-time Olympic gold medallist over the past couple of years. Twice, as a matter of fact.
Study Supports Alternative Anti-Seizure Medication Following Acute Brain Injury
Physorg.com / February 17, 2010
A study by researchers at the University of Cincinnati Neuroscience Institute (UCNI) at University Hospital supports the use of an alternative medication to prevent seizures in patients who have suffered a life-threatening traumatic brain injury or bleeding stroke.
Military Collects First Data on Concussions
The Epoch Times / February 17, 2010
A brain injury that has become a trademark of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq has been experienced by dozens of Canadian soldiers, says a new military report.
Special Glasses Help Brain Injury Patients
WXYZ-TV, Detroit / February 17, 2010
Many brain injury patients have been suffering for years. But Dr. Debby Feinberg of Vision Specialist of Birmingham found that in many cases their brain isn't coordinating the images from their two eyes.
Cold, Hard, and Fast: The Danger of Winter Olympics Sports
The Washington Post / February 16, 2010
This week, as airborne snowboarders try to complete two flips and three spins before landing on a halfpipe, or skeleton athletes hurtle headfirst at 90 mph just two inches above the icy track, we hold our breath wondering whether they'll make it.
Hockey Puck Test Helps Diagnose Concussions
National Public Radio / February 16, 2010
Concussions from a bump on the head used to be no big deal. "People just kind of said 'oh, that athlete got his bell rung' and didn't think much of it," says Dr. James Eckner of the University of Michigan's medical school.
Test to Determine Concussion in Athletes
The Times of India / February 16, 2010
Scientists have devised a simple test that may help judge concussions in athletes. The test may also indicate when athletes are ready to play again.
NFL's Helmet Testing Scrutinized
ESPN / February 15, 2010
The NFL is preparing to deliver results of its research on football helmets next month, but some observers are raising questions about who has been running the league's testing program, the type of tests it is using and the validity of its results.
Military Report Shows How Many Canadian Soldiers Suffered Mild Brain Injuries
The Canadian Press / February 15, 2010
Dozens of Canadian soldiers say they suffered mild traumatic brain injuries while serving in Afghanistan, according to the first data collected by the military on what's been called a signature injury of the conflict.
Group Gives Veterans, Homeless Pets a Second Chance
CNN / February 15, 2010
Sgt. Doraliza Velez-Collazo used to sleep with the lights on, haunted by nightmares since suffering a traumatic brain injury in Iraq. Severe depression kept her inside her small rented room in Southern California most days.
Charlotte Gainsbourg Turns Brain Injury into Beautiful Music
Brain and Spinal Cord.org / February 15, 2010
In 2007, actress and musician Charlotte Gainsbourg suffered a traumatic brain injury while water-skiing. She didn’t find out until complaining to doctors about repetitive headaches that her brain had a time bomb in it. Doctors performed emergency brain surgery on Gainsbourg to remove a potentially fatal cerebral hemorrhage, according to a Consequences of Sound article.
Student Athletes Could Face New Rules After Suffering Concussions
The Greenville News, SC / February 15, 2010
Running back Original Mustafa was dodging a play from Wren High School. He darted left, then right, but the two crashed, their helmets colliding.
Law School Students Join Fight to Increase Insurance for Boxers
Las Vegas Review-Journal / February 14, 2010
Jayme Martinez could see clearly where surgeons had reattached part of boxer Z "The Dream" Gorres' skull. As Gorres sat in front of her in a wheelchair, a scar on the right side of his head had yet to be fully covered by his thick black hair, evidence that surgeons only recently stitched back the bone that was removed to give his battered brain room to swell.
Games Begin, and So Do Questions About Tragedy
Seattle Post-Intelligencer / February 13, 2010
To the Olympics motto "Citius, altius, fortius," it might be time to add, say, "intellectius." As in, "Faster, higher, stronger -- then let's think about this." Is it really THAT important to go 90 mph hour on a luge run, instead of, say, 80 mph?
Tempting Fate at the Perilympics
The New York Times / February 10, 2010
Every winter’s day, or so it seemed, brought a fresh report of an Olympic medal hopeful knocked out of contention for the Vancouver Games. From skiers to bobsledders, snowboarders to skaters, a startling number of athletes became part of an agony-of-defeat montage of injuries.
Tom Waddle, Other Former Bears Discuss Effects of Concussion After NFL Careers
ESPN / February 10, 2010
With a wife, four young daughters, an impending move, a daily radio show on ESPN Radio 1000 in Chicago and enough side gigs to occupy all the "spare time," Tom Waddle doesn't possess the energy to worry about things he can't control. And yet he can't help it. He does.