What is traumatic brain injury?

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when an external force traumatically injures the brain. An open TBI occurs when the skull is penetrated. Closed TBI involves internal injuries to the brain. The injury to brain tissue temporarily or permanently impairs brain function.

How do members experience traumatic brain injury?

Top 5 symptoms reported by people with traumatic brain injury*

*Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.

Top treatments taken by people for traumatic brain injury*

*Data from patients with traumatic brain injury, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Compare treatments taken by people with traumatic brain injury*

Treatment
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment

(Outpatient PT)
Perceived effectiveness
for traumatic brain injury (2 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
2
Tried for
traumatic brain injury (5)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
traumatic brain injury (1)
Treatment

(Ritalin)
Perceived effectiveness
for traumatic brain injury (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
traumatic brain injury (1)
Treatment

(Outpatient Occupational Therapy)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
traumatic brain injury (1)
Perceived effectiveness
for traumatic brain injury (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
traumatic brain injury (1)

*Data from patients with traumatic brain injury, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Who has traumatic brain injury on PatientsLikeMe?

Age

Age Proportion # of patients
<20 26
20s 239
30s 1,257
40s 2,171
50s 2,390
60s 1,603
70+ 556

Distribution of sex

Sex

Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 3,958
Female 4,321