Pathologist, therapist discuss importance of speedy rehabilitation for TBI patients
Courtney Payne is a speech pathologist at Cone Health Inpatient Rehabilitation in North Carolina. She has six years of rehabilitation experience and is a member of the Traumatic Brain Injury, Acquired Brain Injury, and Spinal Cord Injury teams at Cone Health. Jennifer Smith also works at Cone Health as an occupational therapist and clinical specialist […]
Courtney Payne is a speech pathologist at Cone Health Inpatient Rehabilitation in North Carolina. She has six years of rehabilitation experience and is a member of the Traumatic Brain Injury, Acquired Brain Injury, and Spinal Cord Injury teams at Cone Health.
Jennifer Smith also works at Cone Health as an occupational therapist and clinical specialist for Cone Health Inpatient Rehabilitation. She has nine years of rehabilitation experience and is a member of the Traumatic Brain Injury and Acquired Brain Injury teams at Cone Health.
It’s National Brain Injury Awareness Month and both Payne and Smith were recently featured in an article by FOX8 News about the importance of starting rehabilitation quickly following a traumatic brain injury.
As spokespeople for Cone Health, Smith and Payne said a brain injury can impact every aspect of a person’s life including personality, mobility, thinking skills, eating and talking and life skills. It’s also not something that’s limited to race, age, gender or socioeconomic status.
“When it comes to brain injuries, the sooner you begin rehabilitation, the better the outcome may be. … The rehab process starts in the acute phase of injury and can continue to intensive inpatient rehab, skilled nursing facilities and outpatient locations,” the article reads.
One issue of importance mentioned in the article is that a brain injury can be overlooked if a patient is facing multiple injuries. If it’s overlooked and goes untreated, a brain injury can have long-lasting and disabling effects on a person’s life.
“Symptoms of a brain injury can include headache, dizziness, changes in behavior or sleep. If you are experiencing any of these things, it’s important to discuss your symptoms with your provider,” the article reads.
The recovery process varies with each person and the severity of the injury. While some patients end up with life-long symptoms following a significant trauma, others may be able to find a “new normal.”
“ However, the overwhelming majority of our patients are able to return home and reintegrated into both home and community life again. Everyone recovers at a different pace, but the support of family and friends can really help the patient reinforce and practice the skills they need to recover.”
