Acquired brain injury (ABI)
Brain Injury Help, Treatment & Rehabilitation - The Priory Group
The Priory provides specialised care for acquired brain injury (ABI) sufferers. Learn how we can help and locate your nearest brain injury rehabilitation centre.
Acquired brain injury (ABI) - Brain Injury Help
What is acquired brain injury?
An acquired brain injury is an injury to the brain that has happened since birth.
What causes acquired brain injury?
Acquired brain injury can be caused by a traumatic or non traumatic event. Common traumatic causes include incidents on the road, assaults and falls which cause violent movement of the brain within the skull. In these cases, primary damage is caused by the ricochet effect of the brain hitting the inside surface of the skull, but the secondary damage, caused by consequent bleeding and increased pressure within the enclosed skull can often be more damaging and may necessitate brain injury help. There is a high incidence of traumatic brain injury in young men between ages 17-24.
Non-traumatic causes of acquired brain injury include strokes, tumours, haemorrhage, aneurysm asphyxiation and the effects of toxic substances. The effect of these processes is to starve the brain of oxygen causing irreparable brain cell damage (this is also known as hypoxia or hypoxic brain injury) that results in a need for brain injury help.
What are the effects?
Whether the brain injury is traumatic or non traumatic, the physical, cognitive and behavioural consequences can be complex and difficult to manage and will often require brain injury rehabilitation from a specialist rehabilitation team in order to maximise the person's quality of life and functional potential.
Physical problems
The brain instigates all purposeful movement in the body and is responsible for co-ordinating movements. Physical manifestations of brain injury include:
These can affect a person's independence and lead to problems carrying out functional activities such as walking, feeding, eating and dressing. The lack of control can also extend to the muscles in a person's face and throat, which can affect speech and swallowing.
Cognitive problems
Cognition includes:
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Memory
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Concentration
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Problem solving
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Self monitoring
F ollowing a brain injury suffers often struggle with these areas reducing their ability to cope with life.
Behavioural problems
A person's behaviour can become dramatically different following an ABI or an acute brain injury, which can be one of the most difficult aspects for family and friends to cope with during the recovery process. Impulses are often acted upon by sufferers and they will fail to understand the consequences of their behaviour. They may also become irritable, aggressive or even very placid. Mood swings are very common and people can find it difficult to express their emotions.
How Priory can help
Priory has been helping to treat people with acquired brain injuries for over 25 years. We know that everyone's situation is different, which is why we ensure that everyone has a unique treatment plan tailored to their needs.
The services for neuro-rehabilitation and brain injury rehabilitation offered by the Priory are usually on an inpatient basis. We have a care pathway which co-ordinates our skilled team in treating and caring for a diverse range of people following brain injury. This may include people who are in a low awareness state, through to people who have very complex behavioural difficulties. The aim of the service is to maximise quality of life and functional potential via brain injury rehabilitation.
For more information or to request an initial assessment please call 0845 2 PRIORY (0845 2 774679) or email info@priorygroup.com . For further information on the Priory hospitals that can help please click on the links below:
The Priory Highbank Centre
The Vines Neuro-Rehabilitation Centre
Egerton Road Neuro-Rehabilitation Centre
For more support
If you feel you or a friend or relative may need support and would like help or more information, you can ask you GP or contact any of the following organisations.
Headway
www.headway.org.uk
0808 800 2244
The Samaritans
www.samaritans.co.uk
08457 909090
Priory
www.priorygroup.com
0845 2 PRIORY (0845 4 774679) or email info@priorygroup.com
If you are interested in receiving treatment from us, your GP will be able to refer you.