Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can be deadly and devastating, and life for those who sustain these injuries may never be the same. National Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month is observed each September to increase awareness about preventing and treating TBIs. The Innovations Stem Cell Center treats patients living with TBIs and other neurological injuries using fat stem cell therapy.
What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A TBI is a sudden injury that causes brain dysfunction. Typically, TBIs are caused by a sudden, outside force.
One of the most common types of TBI is a concussion. Although considered mild in many cases, concussions can be serious. Despite the current spotlight on concussions and sports, these injuries are not limited to only professional athletes. Car accidents can cause them, as well as falls and blows to the head.
Facts About Traumatic Brain Injuries
Approximately 2.8 million people suffer a TBI annually. Of this number, 50,000 individuals die, and 282,000 are hospitalized for their injuries. The rest (2.5 million) receive treatment and are then released. Researchers believe that other individuals sustain TBIs and do not realize it. As a result, they do not seek medical treatment.
• Almost half of the visits to the emergency room between 2007 and 2013 were because of brain injuries.
• More than 26,000 non-fatal bicycling-related traumatic brain injuries occur each year.
• Approximately 13.5 million Americans are living with a TBI-related disability.
What are the Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries?
The symptoms of TBIs vary between individuals. Not all symptoms of a brain injury are evident immediately, which makes early diagnosis critical for getting patients the help they need following a TBI. If you suspect you or your loved one has sustained a blow to the head, it is good to get them checked just in case.
The most common symptoms of a traumatic brain injury include:
- Head pain
- Confusion
- Memory loss
- Dizziness or imbalance
- Fainting and extreme fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty speaking and comprehending spoken words
- Personality changes, irritability and mood swings
- Dilated pupils or uneven pupils
- Light and sound sensitivity
- Impaired speech
Severe TBI injuries can also lead to seizures, tremors, paralysis, and disability.
How Can Stem Cells Help Traumatic Brain Injury?
Stem cell therapy is beneficial in many cases of traumatic brain injury. Although the consensus of opinion is that early treatment a few days or even hours after the injury, improvement has been seen even years after the original trauma. Cognitive function, perception, and mood or irritability have all seen improvement. In some cases, improvement in motor function when impaired has improved. The numbers remain small, but the early results are very encouraging.
Early Results of Use of Stem Cells for Traumatic Brain Injury
More work needs to be done, but these are encouraging results and can give hope to patients and loved ones of those suffering from traumatic brain injuries. See our blogs Understanding Adipose-Derived Stem Cells and What are Stem Cells?
Cost of Stem Cell Treatment
The cost of the initial treatment ranges from $5,000 to $10,000. The range in cost is dependent on the complexity of delivering the cells back to you. For example, spine conditions require multiple physicians to deliver the cells back to your body and this requires an increase in cost as multiple doctors are involved in the procedure. For many people the initial treatment is all that is needed; however, for some conditions, subsequent treatments may be required and these are done at a reduced fee. Innovations Medical offers stem cell treatment procedures at both the Dallas and Fort Worth practice locations.
To learn more about Innovations Stem Cell Center’s treatment options for TBIs, call us today.