Brain injuries take special care

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Tammie J. Ramsouer
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  During a three-day weekend, you are invited to play ice hockey. Though you have never played ice hockey before, you decide to go. Once you get to the ice rink, you wobble your way to your friends as they prepare to pick teams. As you manage to keep your balance, you slip and hit your head on the rink. Your friends come over to help you up on your feet and ask if you are OK.

While you try to remember what happened, your friends mention you might have suffered a concussion, and recommend you seek help.

So where do you go?

If you can remember who you are, head to the Traumatic Brain Injury clinic, located in the Lynx Wing of the JBER hospital.

"All patients in the TBI clinic have been referred by their primary physician or primary care manager," said Air Force Lt. Col. Pamela Novy, mental health flight commander, from the 673rd Medical Operations Squadron.

Prior to being referred to the clinic, patients are screened from head to toe for injuries to find out exactly what happened. "Most typically it is someone who has experienced some type of blast injury, sometimes with a complete loss of consciousness," Novy said.
Patients who have suffered traumatic events causing a concussion may lead to post-traumatic stress disorder.

At each initial screening they determine if a patient with a concussion has post-traumatic stress disorder. Depending on their findings, some patients are referred for additional treatment.

"You can develop PTSD if you have experienced any type of trauma where your life is threatened or perceived to be threatened," Novy said.

Other leading causes of TBI are from slips on ice, falls, blast injuries, and motor vehicle crashes and rollovers.

These injuries can be classified as mild, moderate or severe.

A TBI, identified by medical personnel, is a blow or jolt to the head that disrupts the normal function of the brain.

"Most of the people that we see have had some type of injury and have gone to a TBI clinic, which is really good - they are seen immediately," she said, "whereas a few years ago, that was less likely to have occurred."

With a loss of consciousness, many patients become dazed and confused, which makes it critical for them to go to a TBI clinic with a referral from a primary care physician.
Another major concern is the psychological impact, especially when the injury was caused by a blast in which there were severe injuries and losses of other lives. In these cases, the TBI clinic ensures patients are screened for PTSD.

The clinic has many classes to help patients cope with a TBI or PTSD, including coping with irritability or mood swings, yoga, and stress management. Also being offered is the concussion education class for spouses, which helps with strategies to stay healthy and ways to care for loved ones.

Irritability and mood swings are not something anyone likes to have, but is one symptom patients experience after suffering a TBI, or PTSD case. The clinic offers the class to help patients understand how to keep their mental state on track.

Yoga class is also a great activity that helps patients with calming breathing techniques and train them on relaxation. The class informs patients about how to be aware with their bodies.

"Yoga is to help get patients back in balance," Novy said "and there are certain types of things that research is coming out with now which are shown to actually help with relaxation more than watching TV."

The TBI clinic offers a stress-management class, which shows patients how to relax in their own way.

The waiting area is one of the first points to help patients.

"Our waiting area is kind of dark and cozy," said Air Force Master Sgt. Chrystal Shephard, non-commissioned officer in charge of the TBI clinic, from the 673d Medical Operation Squadron.

"The lights are dim for eye sensitivity, because we have patients with concussions; therefore there are a lot of problems with sensitivity to the light, so we try to keep it dim, comfortable and calming."

Thanks to the TBI clinic and the steps you take to be careful, you can do what you love to do, like hockey. Just remember to be aware of your surroundings and take precautions when participating in a rough event.

For more information about the clinic, or to learn about classes offered for patients and their families, call 580-0014.

The concussion class meets at the JBER hospital dining facility from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Tuesdays.