Infographic: The Co-Occurring Symptoms of PTSD & TBI

Kelly Deckert, BrainLine Military
Infographic: The Co-Occurring Symptoms of PTSD & TBI

The signs and symptoms of concussion and post-traumatic stress overlap considerably. The graphic below shows the symptoms that can help discriminate between concussion and post-traumatic stress for patients who have only one or the other.

View >
Download (high-resolution) >

Posted on BrainLine July 14, 2014.

Reference: Stein MB, McCallister TW (2009). Exploring the convergence of post-traumatic stress disorder and mild traumatic brain injury. Am J Psychiatry; 166:766-776.

Comments (5)

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.

My daughter and I were in a major car accident seven years ago. We both sustained brain injuries and we were both diagnosed with PTSD. The struggle is real. Even now I am sitting in the waiting room of her neurological optometrist who is helping retrain her brain so she can read, see better, and calm her sensories. God is awesome! I wish you the best!

I know there are those who would say that it's snake medicine, but I have been a massage therapist for over 16 years and have worked on hundreds of people with hands on contact for thousands of hours and I believe that cranio-sacral therapy is EXTREMELY beneficial for anyone who's suffered any kind of blow to the head.  The bodywork system Touching for Health shows neurovascular holding points on the skull that cause certain muscles to automatically relax and those of us with a really sensitive touch can feel amazing things just simply holding the skull with a slight pressure and feeling the sutures shift.  The ears, too.  I have had a person's head start vibrating while I've been working on them and then an unwinding occur from a fall they had.  My son has had some major blows to the head and he has PTSD from a fight he got into and I've worked on his head in an effort to get him rebalanced.  There is one particular guy who claims to be a doctor on the internet who attempts to put down every form of massage and bodywork as being snake medicine, and while there may not be scientific proof for some forms of bodywork, I will take what I experience with my hands or with someone eles's hands working on me over any scientific proof.  It's hard to put this kind of therapy into a study format just because just like one study on a herniated disc performed by Stanford and John Hopkins medical centers indicates that a person's "perception" can be quite different in that two individuals can have the exact same diagnosis yet one can barely get out of bed while the other can go out dancing all night.  I do hope to see more and more of massage and bodywork being utilized in persons diagnosed with PTSD and TBI because I believe wholeheartedly that it will help immensely.  

I used to be a CranioSacral Therapist. I loved it. I also went to massage school, got certificates in cupping, energy healing, Master Reiki practitioner and other alternative healing methods after working in regular Western Medicine for several years. In 2012, just as I was getting ready to open a private practice, I became severely ill. Collapsed overnight, have not been the same since, was diagnosed with Addison's Disease aka Adrenal Insufficiency and I just found out BY ACCIDENT (last week that by training at Ft. McClellan in the 70's and then being stationed at Schofield Barracks, that I was exposed to massive amounts of toxic substances. It explains my illnesses, and my daughter's 'mystery' auto-immune disease. I wish I could still work on people and help their body heal, but now I am the patient. Thank you for posting!

I'm not military, but I am recovering from a TBI from fracturing my temporal bone, a cerebral contusion and concussion.  I had headaches, nausea, bad dizziness and loss of hearing in my left ear. This was from an ice skating accident.  I had PTSD before the accident.  I found that the dizziness is the worst, and a plugged up feeling in my left ear from a leaking of cerebral spinal fluid. Also, just trying to read a book is more of an effort in focus.  Short term memory has really taken a hit.  Can't find the right words to express or I can start a sentence and forget what I'm saying.  Also, if someone is visiting with me for over 1 or 2 hours, I space out and can't remember what they said.   I was terrified I wouldn't get better, but I am.  It is a super slow process and anyone who has this really needs people around them to be very positive, patient and caring.  Support is key.  It also can change the way you look at things.  I found that most people were very kind.  If family gave me a hard time, I just limited my time communicating with them.  Friends have been great and my husband is my champion.  I am constantly told that I will make a recovery even if it takes a year.  This is so important to focus on.  It's a huge lesson in gratitude to others and their caring and giving of time.  So, for those of you who have this, please have faith and try to have patience with yourself.  Keep up your hope.

Hi, I know it’s been a while but I pray that you are better . My 18 year old son graduated high school and was getting ready for college. He fractured his occipital skull 3 weeks ago and has similar symptoms. Will you please talk to us. Majestidy@yahoo.com