Dr. Erik Johnson
Love and Health Chiropractic
Did you know that March is Brain Injury Awareness Month? According to the Brain Injury Association of Michigan, 58,500 Michiganders will experience a brain injury during 2021. Ranging from mild to fatal, brain injuries happen to people of all ages. Those due to congenital abnormalities or from degenerative disease like Alzheimer’s are called acquired brain injuries. The kind of brain injuries that you can help prevent are traumatic brain injuries—TBIs.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services found that 30% of TBIs in Michigan are caused by car crashes. TBIs can happen if you are in an automobile accident, you fall and hit your head, you dive into shallow water, or you’re hit by a hard ball during sports activities. One type of TBI you’ve probably heard of, a concussion happens when you bump or receive a hit to your head that moves your head rapidly back and forth.
The CDC has put together this list of ways you can prevent traumatic brain injuries:
On the road
- Wear a seat belt every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle.
- Never drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Wear a helmet when you ride a bike, motorcycle, snowmobile, scooter, or use an all-terrain vehicle.
Tots and tykes
- Install window guards to keep young children from falling out.
- Use safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs.
- Go to playgrounds with soft material like mulch or sand under swings and slides.
- Never shake a baby or child.
Playing sports
- Wear a helmet when you play sports—contact sports, skating or skateboarding, running bases, riding horses, skiing or snowboarding.
- Jump in first to check water depth in rivers and lakes. Obey “no diving” warnings at pools.
As you age
- Review your prescription and over-the-counter medicines—can they make you dizzy or sleepy?
- Ask your healthcare provider about vitamin D.
- Do exercise, like tai chi, to strengthen your legs and improve your balance.
- Get a vision check-up at least once a year.
- In your home, remove trip-and-fall hazards like small rugs; install grab bars by the tub or shower and next to the toilet; put railings on both sides of stairs; and keep your home well-lit, including nightlights.
If you or a loved one experience a hit to the head followed by nausea, unsteadiness, headache, or difficulty concentrating, go to your primary care doctor, urgent care, or emergency room right away. Prompt treatment can mean the difference between life and death—or a life lived with severe impairments.
Depending on how serious a TBI is, recovery can be a slow and painful process. Those with serious brain injuries may survive, but never completely recover. A report on the National Institute for Health website states that traumatic brain injuries provide “a unique target of opportunity for complementary and alternative medicine.” The report explored modalities like acupuncture, meditation, and mindfulness.
When one of my patient’s sons was seven years old, his brother accidentally threw a screwdriver at his head. After emergency surgery and nine days in a Grand Rapids hospital, doctors said he might never be able to read or walk very well. During each of those nine days, his chiropractor visited and gave him gentle adjustments. After discharge, the little fellow began music therapy. Throughout high school, he was first-string quarterback—and graduated as valedictorian. Today, he is a successful architect.
That said, the best course of action is to take care of your noggin. Buckle up! Wear a helmet! Avoid falls! In other words, use your brain!
Dr. Erik Johnson DC is a chiropractor at Love and Health Chiropractic in Wyoming at 1586 44th Street SW.
