Infographic: How Many Traumatic Brain Injuries Each Year?

Kelly Deckert, BrainLine
Infographic: New TBI Numbers
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Exactly how big is the problem?

View the full size version of this infographic >

Infographic: New Annual Traumatic Brain Injury Numbers

Posted on BrainLine February 13, 2018.

Data Source: www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury

Comments (9)

Please remember, we are not able to give medical or legal advice. If you have medical concerns, please consult your doctor. All posted comments are the views and opinions of the poster only.

Anonymous replied on

When I suffered a TBI 7 1/2 years ago, after spending two months in the ICU, my spouse and I were both stunned and disappointed at how little help and information is available for dealing with this. My wife got a new husband, my young daughter got a new father (which neither of them were happy about it) and I've had to learn to do "in manual" all the things that my brain used to do without me really being aware of it. The accident took place at work, so we contacted the state compensation office for a list of approved psychologists I could see to try to help with this. We were sent a list of thirty-seven psychologists - and NOT A SINGLE ONE of them would deal with TBI. Finally after talking to a friend of a friend of a friend we found a doctor that would help me cope. This doctor has been a tremendous help, but sadly once your brain is broken it's broken for life. My strategy now is learning to compensate for what I've lost the ability to do. I use Outlook, a smart phone, Evernote and a pad with a pencil that I carry with me everywhere I go because my short term memory is gone. But given the fact that statistically I should be dead, getting to watch my daughter grow and spend time with my spousal unit it has turned out about as well as you could hope for.

Anonymous replied on

I hope these numbers help with treatment of "mild" TBI.  I've had six TBIs.  One, according to the Glasgow Coma Scale, was severe.  The other five were mild, again according to the Glasgow Scale.  However, the long term impacts of my "mild" TBIs have been like "moderate" TBIs, once more according to the Glasgow scale. I know there's an effort to redefine TBI diagnoses to improve treatment.  It can't come soon enough!

Anonymous replied on

Strange to say, the new statistics make me happy. I advocated for counting folks with mTBI back when it was seen as inconsequential as a mild cold, and no one counted (or served) us. It is wonderful that people are going to the ER and that more such injuries are recognized. I wish I had known of the new numbers a few months ago. An essay I wrote about attempting to cook favorite meals after mTBIs (originally printed in 1997) was to be included in a new anthology from Creative Nonfiction Magazine (True Stories, Well Told). I was asked to write supplemental material ...but gave the number 1.7 million injuries in the update. That's a lot of folks to have left out. And I am glad to see a number associated with mTBI survivors with long-term effects. Unfortunately, I am one of them.

Anonymous replied on

the Infographic leaves out a segment represented in the old CDC numbers triangle.  The estimate of people who were diagnosed in MD offices or not at all is missing.  This represented a large number of people.

Anonymous replied on

4yrs ago I had [  in lay mans terms ] water on the brain I had 2 operations 2 put a shunt in 3 months later I got out of the hospital and went home,I could hardly walk from being laid ut up for a yr before they found what was wrong.Then I had an MRI and it showed a spot in back of my neck where a billed up of spinal fluid was pressing on my spine so back I went another op. which left me real wk  on my right side a few months later I had another op for the same thing which left me more weak on my right side.So now I'm in pt and ot once again which helps a lot.This just shows you how a TBI can happen and you don't even know it, they think I hit my head and don't remember doing it.

Anonymous replied on

Unfortunately my fiance was in a bad motorcycle accident a few weeks ago and has a TBI, a spinal cord injury which has left him paralyzed and even had strokes due to the blunt force trauma. It's been very challenging to say the least. I'm trying to learn as much as I can about all of this but especially TBI.

Anonymous replied on

I agree more direction is needed. It impacts long term outcomes!

Anonymous replied on

Sadly, the 2.2 million that are checked out and released have little if any direction on what to do next. If they can't see it, it's not a big deal.

black male replied on

wow thats sad