CANNAHealthcare Magazine June / July 2017 | Page 45

45

“This is literally a life and death matter. We have GOT

to start having real, honest conversations, in locker rooms,

in doctor’s offices and around the dinner table

about brain trauma in the home and on the field,”

No one is safe from the devastating threat of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Brain injury and trauma affects an estimated 1.7 million people in the United States annually.

Between 2010 and 2016, according to Blue Cross Blue Shield, rough-sports-related concussions increased 71% for patients ages 10-19. Meanwhile, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) , falls contribute to 79% of traumatic brain injuries in the young (0-14) and 54% of TBI cases in the elderly (65+).

While death is the largest concern for those who suffer from TBI, those who survive their head injuries may sustain a lifetime of conditions affecting the entire body, including chronic pain, impulsiveness, mood swings, headaches, light sensitivity, depression and in severe cases, suicidal thoughts .

Leonard Marshall

Patient's Story