hi there, 3 months ago my head was hit by a piece of metal. I lost consciousness and was sent to hospital by ambulance. Doctor told me the CT is OK. now I am still suffering headache, ring in ears, difficulty of memory, insomnia, nausea,anxiety. do I need MRI to diagnose brain damage? my medication doesn't work, especialy to headache and tinnitus. any advices, thanks a lot

hi unlucky w

sorry no one picked up on ya post, yes if this is work related injury also it may be a long term condition, so seek medical help and documentation, rest and omega 3/6 supplements and multi vitamins help a bit, welcome keep us posted , there are some links to organizations . on the sicky,s @ the to of the page

Welder;

Scans do not do TBI any justice!
Do some more to learn about this SERIOUS Injury!
Some good books @ Amazon.
Stick around here. There are other good sites too, a couple of National organizations, with State offices.
Don't stop learning!
I wish you all the best. I've had a TBI since '98, on top of RSD +TOS since '83.
It just keeps getting harder, so get the BEST help you can now!
Find a good rehab hospital near you!

Scans are only good for showing Gross Insults to the brain, useless for most.

Keep the questions coming!

Pete

Hi unluckywelder

Hey, as if getting bits of hot metal all over yourself wasn't enough worries--jeez. An MRI wouldn't hurt, but don't be surprised if they "don't find anything." Studying the brain by CT or MRI is like trying to understand China from satellite photos. They can tell if you've got bits of metal in there, or walked into a nail gun, or if something else is there that shouldn't be, or if something is missing, which your wife would have told you about by now anyway :-). It's going to depend on what kind of medical situation you're in. If you're in America, there's a tendency to do MRI's and if they can't see anything you're "fine." That's because the real test that shows what is happening in the brain is a thorough neuropsychological evaluation, and those cost several grand. Insurers would rather protect their profits by declaring you "just fine" and sending you back out on the job, hoping you fall off some staging somewhere. I know this sounds cynical, but I've worked in health care for some time, and insurers use reasoning processes from some other planet. The big thing is to find a physician who is still curious, and not so exhausted from coping with all the insurance yaya that he just walks through the day like a zombie.

good luck. BTW what you have sounds like classic TBI

gershonb

Hi Unlucky,

I can give you the technical song and dance if you like, but as the others have told you, a standard MRI is not very good for diagnosing brain injury. Even the more advanced imaging is not sensitive enough to detect all the millions of tiny axons that might have been damaged or torn.

The best way to detect brain damage and to understand how it's effecting your function is to have neuro-psychological testing. If you haven't had a neuro-psych, I strongly suggest that you demand one.

I'm really sorry about your TBI. It can be a scary and life-altering injury. If you haven't already done so, I suggest that you join a local support group. I don't know where you live, but if it's in the States, a visit to the Brain Injury Association of America webpage will give you a list of groups in your area as well as a wealth of information about your injury. If you're outside the U.S., other countries have their own organizations online.

Sadly, there are lots of TBI victims at NT who can answer any questions you may have - so feel free to fire away.


Good Luck