Post-traumatic Brain Injury Syndrome (PTBIS): A Serious Matter

What is Post-Traumatic Brain Injury Syndrome?

Post-traumatic Brain Injury Syndrome (PTBIS) is defined as a collection of signs and symptoms that a person experiences after trauma, injury or external forces to the brain. It can occurs weeks, months or even years after the brain injury. It’s different from the term traumatic brain injury (TBI), which means a set of signs and symptoms that the person suffers from at the time of brain injury (or few days after the injury). PTBIS usually happens as a result of road traffic accidents, contact sports, falls, assaults, and many other injuries involving trauma to your brain weeks, months or years after the brain injury.

Unfortunately, not all health experts in the medical community agree with the present definition of post-traumatic brain injury syndrome. In New Zealand and Australia, the term post-traumatic brain injury is generally not recognised or used. The signs and symptoms are lumped together under the umbrella term traumatic brain injury (without post-) and may be described or termed as consequences of traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic brain concussion syndrome or sequelae of brain injury.

How does PTBIS occur?

The exact mechanism of PTBIS is still unknown. Though they do have some theories. Most of the health authorities who fight for its existence state that a pathologic process is responsible. Sadly, most of these pathologic processes happen way below what the human eye can see (microscopic and molecular levels). This makes it difficult to document and explain. Your brain may appear normal when viewed using imaging techniques, but still, you experience symptoms and manifest signs.

*Note: Don’t forget the additional history of a traumatic brain injury. History of traumatic brain injury + signs and symptoms weeks, months, or years after brain injury = PTBIS

Medical treatments for PTBIS

There is no precise medical treatment yet for PTBIS. Luckily, there are different medical treatments available for each sign or symptom the person experiences. Here are some of them:

Headache – oral pain relievers
Memory and thinking problems – cognitive therapy
Depression – psychotherapy and medication
Seizures – medication

Natural therapies and supplements that can help in the treatment of PTBIS signs and symptoms:

Biofeedback and neurofeedback. Biofeedback is the use of instruments to measure physical responses in your body and relay (feed) them back to you so you can change the way your body reacts. Neurofeedback is a type of biofeedback which uses an EEG (electroencephalogram). An EEG shows your brain waves in response to certain stimuli. Both therapies are beneficial for people with PTBIS who experience seizures, poor memory, difficulty in concentrating, decreased emotional control, and anxiety.

Homeopathy. A study has successfully documented the positive effects of homeopathy on those with PTBIS. It has been shown to decrease the severity of symptoms attributed to PTBIS.

Craniosacral Therapy. This form of therapy may be of benefit to some patients with PTBIS with refractory symptoms. Craniosacral therapy was developed by an osteopath and includes the release of restrictions in your brain and spinal cord, which is applicable sto individuals with PTBIS.

Natural supplements. Below are some supplements you can take to counter the symptoms of PTBIS:

Ginkgo biloba increases blood flow to injured areas of your brain. Nutrients and waste products are adequately shuttled to and from your traumatised brain cells, making repair and recuperation faster.
Bacopa monnieri supplementation relieves you of anxiety and improves your memory.
Optimal brain development requires adequate levels of B vitamins, especially after traumatic brain injury.

DHA or docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, has therapeutic effects for patients with mild brain injury especially those who were unconscious for a few minutes right after the brain injury.
Experiments on mice with mild traumatic brain injury have demonstrated the positive effects of astaxanthin, an antioxidant. These effects include better muscle coordination and increased sensory perception which could be of benefit to those with PTBIS.
Curcumin, a substance found in turmeric, has been found to fight the effects of damage caused by oxidative stress from a traumatic brain injury. It protects the injured brain and improves cognition. Image: Use the curcumin image you made for me about a week ago with hand holding brain and other hand holding curcumin

In the end, it’s all about the health and quality of life of the person who survived the traumatic brain injury. We can all argue about the existence of the term PTBIS, but the fact remains that the person still experiences some signs and symptoms related to his brain injury. Those are the real problems which should be addressed. Fighting for the PTBIS term can make it convenient for health experts and accepting for survivors of traumatic brain injuries in the future.