Traumatic Brain Injury: Come introduce yourself

Welcome to this forum! It is a great place just to visit just to be reminded that you are not alone and to learn of new ideas and therapies that might help. Our two cats, Galileo and Copernicus, are a big help. We're lucky enough to live in a place of beauty with a lot of nature (deer, turkeys, hawks, etc.) and our walks remind us of the bigger world. Music has also proven very helpful.

Thank you for being welcoming!

I suffered a head and neck injury from a severe concussion when I walked full speed into a glass wall eight months ago. I have many symptoms including double vision, full headedness, light headedness, tingling in the face, arms, back and legs, headache in the back of my head, stiff neck, and soreness in the base of my skull. Because of double vision and neck symptoms, I have not been able to drive.

The doctor at the concussion center recommended physical therapy but it did not help. Every time the PT added strength training, I had a setback. My orthopedist told me that my cervical vertebrae shifted and they are not in alignment anymore. He recommended PT. I was out of the country for two months with no PT and my symptoms subsided. When returning to PT, the load of exercises immediately put me in a bad flareup. Now my orthopedist recommended stopping PT. So, currently I am just doing home self care using cold and warm compresses on my neck and upper back, and hope that I will heal over time.

My neuro-optometrist prescribed prism glasses, which helped when I am riding in a car, in a bookstore, and in the grocery store so that visual pathway was not over stimulated. He did not recommend vision therapy because my double vision is side glance at far distance.

I do not feel I have any brain rehabilitation and I know my brain was injured because the brain MRI showed changes in the white matter, and I have facial tingling that might have been trigeminal nerve involvement. My neurologist did not recommend any rehabilitation.

I am a Speech and language pathologist who have treated TBI patients, so this is even more frustrating knowing that I do not have brain rehabilitation.
I am researching on red/infrared light therapy, and I wonder if anyone in the group had experience with it. I would appreciate feedback on it.

Thank you for listening to my story.

@patty78962 you need new friends 🙂 I’ve started talking to people with canes or mobility issues . I live in a small town so I’m comfortable doing that . I started therapy because I was scared I would wear out my family / friends and become a burden . I wish you peace and new relationships! Be Still and quite and God will speak

@dollyjaneprenzel thank you I am trying to!

I am 8 months out from a brain injury after falling down some stairs and hitting my head on the hardwood floor. I don't have too many symptoms but my mobility is not good I need to do some work on my balance I also suffer from terrible anxiety with anyone have any hints how I can get rid of this I do take meds but it's always every morning this anxiety hits and now I hear that you're always going to have something wrong with your brain when you have an injury very disheartening

Hello everyone!

I had my concussion brain injury November of 2024. I’m a Special Education teacher in Madison WI. A student threw a small whiteboard (dry erase board) at the back of my head on the left side. I have had symptoms since and still worked and went above and beyond my job even with side effects and symptoms. The school and district did not take care of it seriously and other things going on. Long story short I have been out of work since Feb 23 of this year because they don’t want to accommodate with not hard or complicated things. I since then have been doing Neuro occupational therapy, Neuro speech and Neuro Physical Therapy. I have also had some appointments at Mayo in MN and will have more appointments in July and August. I could not get into UW in Madison for a long time so I was proactive with getting into MAYO. I also might have a slanted disk from the injury along with optic nerve issues and things from this injury. I am trying to take it one day at a time and my goal is to get back in the classroom teaching in the fall.

@margaretallen
Have you tried diaphragm deep breathing? It might help. You breathe in through your nose into your belly , then exhale slowly as long as you can. Do this safely in a chair a few times. Repeat a few times a day, especially when you are feeling anxious.

@margaretallen Have you tried wearing a compression shirt? Helps calm the nervous system. Helped me quite a bit in the first year or two. Compression blanket also helps. Anxiety has lessened greatly but took quite a while to go away. It’s been 3 -1/2 years since my injury.

@ejj0320 - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. That is scary that a student threw a whiteboard at the back of your head and you were injured. Wow. Really sorry to hear that and that the school and district did not help you in the way that you needed.

Sounds like you are making a lot of wise moves in getting some neuro rehab and getting into a medical center to further examine your injuries.

What is your worst symptom right now? Is there anything you've found that relieves it at all?

@ejj0320
At this point, I would be thinking about a law suit against the student and against the school district. At least see an attorney who specializes in this sort of injury.