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
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
traumatic brain injury (3)
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 24
20s 205
30s 1,091
40s 2,185
50s 2,444
60s 1,721
70+ 689

Distribution of sex

Sex

Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 3,981
Female 4,400

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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.



Common symptoms reported by people with traumatic brain injury

Common symptoms
How bad it is
What people are taking for it

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.
Last updated:



Treatments taken by people for traumatic brain injury

Treatment name(s)
Type
How many have tried
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Outpatient PT)
Type
Physical Therapy
How many have tried
1,734
Tried for
traumatic brain injury (3)
Type
Psychotherapy
How many have tried
2,451
Tried for
traumatic brain injury (1)
Treatment name(s)

(Ritalin)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
426
Tried for
traumatic brain injury (1)
Treatment name(s)

(Outpatient Occupational Therapy)
Type
Physical Therapy
How many have tried
1,300
Tried for
traumatic brain injury (1)
Treatment name(s)
Type
Physical Therapy
How many have tried
1,254
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.
Last updated:


Compare treatments taken by people with traumatic brain injury

Treatment name(s)
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Outpatient PT)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
traumatic brain injury (3)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
traumatic brain injury (1)
Treatment name(s)

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

(Outpatient Occupational Therapy)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
traumatic brain injury (1)
Treatment name(s)
Perceived effectiveness
for traumatic brain injury (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
traumatic brain injury (1)
  • Major
  • Moderate
  • Slight
  • None
  • Can't tell
  • Severe
  • Moderate
  • Mild
  • None

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



Who has traumatic brain injury on PatientsLikeMe?

  • 7 new patients joined this month
  • 4,205 say TBI is their primary condition

Age
Age Proportion # of patients
<20 24
20s 205
30s 1,091
40s 2,185
50s 2,444
60s 1,721
70+ 689
Age at first symptom
Age at first symptom Proportion # of patients
0-19 years 297
20-29 years 346
30-39 years 297
40-49 years 292
50-59 years 131
60-69 years 14
70+ years 2

Distribution of sex

Sex
Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 3,981
Female 4,400

Diagnosis status
Diagnosis status Proportion # of patients
Diagnosed 2,343
Not Diagnosed 145

These charts show data from TBI patients who have completed their condition history
Last updated: