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Helmet-to-helmet tackles in football. Knockouts in boxing. Explosive blasts in combat. These are the types of incidents most people associate with concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). But you don’t have to be involved in a skull-crushing incident, and you don’t have to lose consciousness to cause damage to your brain. In fact, many people have what the medical field calls a “mild TBI” and in these cases, you may not even realize that you’ve suffered a brain injury. This is bad news because suffering a mild TBI can cause a host of lasting psychiatric, behavioral, and cognitive consequences. Suffering a mild TBI can cause a host of lasting psychiatric, behavioral, and cognitive consequences.
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Why Does Mild TBI Go Undetected So Often?

Statistics on head injuries don’t tell the whole story. According to the CDC, there are over 2.8 million TBIs in the U.S. each year. But that’s only counting the people who visit the emergency department, are hospitalized, or die from their injuries. There are millions of others who experience a blow, bash, or bonk to the head but never seek medical help because they don’t think their injury is serious enough. And there are countless more who endure repetitive bangs to the head, such as hitting a soccer ball with your head, who don’t think they require treatment. These people are never diagnosed with a concussion or mild TBI. Surprisingly, many people forget they’ve had a significant head injury in childhood or as an adult. That’s why at Amen Clinics, patients are asked multiple times if they have suffered any type of head trauma. Even if patients initially answer “no,” their physicians at Amen Clinics will keep digging, asking a series of probing questions: Have you ever fallen out of a tree, fallen off a fence, or dove into a shallow pool? Did you play contact sports? Have you ever been in a car accident? It’s shocking how many people think their head injuries were too insignificant to mention. For others, they simply do not remember the incident, as amnesia in head trauma is a common occurrence. For example, one Amen Clinics patient had insisted multiple times that he had not suffered a concussion, but after being asked a fifth time, he put his hand on his forehead and said, “Oh yeah! When I was 5 years old, I fell out of a second-story window.” He isn’t the only one. Many other people forget they went through windshields, fell out of moving vehicles, or were knocked unconscious when they fell off their bicycles. Have you suffered a head injury? Think back in your own history to see if you recall experiencing any of these common causes of mild TBIs: If you don’t remember any of these events, ask your parents if they recall such an incident. They may remember something you don’t.

What Happens to the Brain in a Mild TBI?

Suffering a concussion or mild TBI can impact the brain in many harmful ways. Here’s why. Many people think the brain is rubbery and fixed within the skull, but it isn’t. Your brain is soft, about the consistency of soft butter, tofu, or custard—somewhere between egg whites and gelatin. It floats in cerebrospinal fluid and is housed in a very hard skull that has many sharp bony ridges. As such, it is easily damaged. Whiplash, jarring motions (think Shaken Baby Syndrome), blast injuries, and blows to the head can cause the brain to slosh around, slamming into the hard ridges inside the skull. Here is what happens in the brain after physical trauma: On top of that, the pituitary gland (which regulates your hormones) sits in a vulnerable part of the skull, so it is often hurt in head injuries, causing major hormonal imbalances. In many cases, the brain heals over time after an injury. In other instances, lingering damage remains. On brain SPECT imaging, which measures blood flow and activity in the brain, one of the most common findings in people who have experienced head injuries is low blood flow in certain regions within the brain. Often, in people who have suffered a TBI, the brain region nearest the point of impact isn’t the only area where damage is seen. For example, if you get into a car accident and your forehead hits the steering wheel, it can injure the front part of the brain, but that’s not all. As your brain sloshes backward after impact, it can also cause damage on the opposite side. This is called a contrecoup injury. On SPECT, this is suspected when there is low blood flow on opposite sides of the brain. Low blood flow on SPECT has been seen not only with TBI, but also with depression, suicide, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADD/ADHD, hoarding, murder, substance abuse, seizure activity, and more. Low blood flow is the number one brain imaging predictor that a person will develop Alzheimer’s disease, according to research in Nature Communications.

TBI, Mental Health Problems, and Cognitive Dysfunction

What makes undiagnosed and untreated head injuries so troublesome is that they are associated with a wide range of psychiatric illnesses and cognitive problems. Research shows that head injuries increase the risk of depression, anxiety, panic disorders, psychosis, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, ADD/ADHD, personality disorders, aggression, learning problems, and suicide. It also raises the odds of dementia. In the database of tens of thousands of patients at Amen Clinics, SPECT imaging reveals that 40% had a significant brain injury before they sought treatment for psychiatric, behavioral, or cognitive issues. Most of them had no idea that an underlying brain injury was contributing to their issues. In the database of tens of thousands of patients at Amen Clinics, SPECT imaging reveals that 40% had a significant brain injury before they sought treatment for psychiatric, behavioral, or cognitive issues.
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Anyone who is experiencing psychological or cognitive symptoms that aren’t getting better with standard treatment may want to investigate if a hidden mild TBI may be contributing to those issues. For these people, following a concussion rescue protocol to heal the brain can make a significant improvement in symptoms. Undetected, untreated, or misdiagnosed head injuries can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Got into a fender bender and slammed your head on the steering wheel? Fell off a ladder, whacked your skull, and now you’re seeing stars? Knocked noggins while playing soccer and can’t feel woozy? Getting a concussion is serious business, and what you do in those first few minutes, hours, and days can either help heal your brain or hurt it and set you up for lasting cognitive, emotional or psychological issues.   Getting a concussion is serious business, and what you do in those first few minutes, hours, and days can either help heal your brain or hurt it and set you up for lasting cognitive, emotional, or psychological issues.
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THE PROBLEM WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES (TBI)

Your skull is very hard for a reason. It’s designed to protect your brain—the magnificent organ that is 100% in charge of you. Made up of 200 billion neurons (brain cells) and trillions of connecting fibers that are essential for everything you do, the brain is surprisingly soft and extremely delicate. Inside the skull, it is held in place by many sharp bony ridges; however, if your head hits something or there is a force against your head, your brain can get injured by slamming into the ridges and other parts of the skull. When that happens, it is likely to result in a concussion. Trauma to the brain can also occur without a direct blow to the head, such as with a whiplash injury. The sudden forward and backward or side-to-side motion can make the brain move around the inside of the skull. The force of those movements can cause shearing of the axons—the fibers that allow neurons to communicate with each other—which can then interfere with brain function. Although it is the most complex organ in the known universe, the brain was simply not designed to take any kind of physical punishment. Therefore, hits, bumps, or any kind of injury to the head should never be ignored. Whether caused by a fall, sports collision, motor vehicle accident or being hit by an object—and even if your skull is intact or you were wearing a helmet—concussions and the symptoms that result from them can be quite serious. Although it is the most complex organ in the known universe, the brain was simply not designed to take any kind of physical punishment. Therefore, hits, bumps, or any kind of injury to the head should never be ignored.
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WHAT TO DO AFTER A HEAD INJURY?

The first and most important thing to do after suffering head trauma is to seek medical care as soon as you can to be evaluated for a possible concussion or TBI. In addition to understanding the cause of your head injury, your doctor will assess for symptoms, such as: Head injuries can also cause bleeding in the brain which can be life-threatening and must be identified and treated immediately—often with surgery to release pressure on the brain. Although these cases are usually rare, it is imperative to get to an emergency room or call 911 as soon as possible if you have any of the following symptoms, along with the ones listed above: Fortunately, most head injuries don’t involve bleeding in the brain, but they still need to be taken seriously in order to avoid a deterioration of symptoms.

WHY YOU SHOULDN’T IGNORE MILD HEAD INJURIES

What if you just bumped your head, didn’t pass out and didn’t experience the common concussion symptoms? All too often, mild head injuries are minimized or overlooked, but there can be long-term consequences for undiagnosed and untreated concussions. The residual damage to the brain can exacerbate or lead to an increased risk for mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, anger and aggression, cognitive problems and dementia—and even suicide. If your head is injured in any way, take it seriously and get the help you need right away, so you can start to recover in the healthiest and most expeditious way possible.

9 Strategies for Recovering from a Concussion

After being diagnosed with a concussion and following the advice and recommendations given to you by your doctor, the following 9 strategies* can also help you optimize your chance of a successful recovery:
  1. Have a TBI first aid kit on hand and support your brain with powerful antioxidants and nutritional supplements.
  2. Avoid strenuous activities such as working out, playing sports, or lifting heavy objects.
  3. Get 7-8 hours of sleep at night and relax as much as possible during the day to minimize stress on your body and brain.
  4. Limit time spent on the computer, TV, phone, or other screens because the light they emit—or eyestrain from looking at devices—can worsen concussion symptoms.
  5. Keep away from alcohol and recreational drugs. They are harmful to your brain and can extend your recovery time. You don’t need to add fuel to the fire!
  6. Stay well-hydrated with water and steer clear of caffeine.
  7. Eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet with clean protein, lots of fresh greens, veggies, and berries, and healthy fats like avocados.
  1. Avoid any activity that increases your risk for another concussion! It could lead to a condition called second impact syndrome, which can cause permanent brain damage.
  2. Be patient. Rushing the recovery process can set you back. By taking it easy and giving yourself the time needed for proper healing, you can potentially resume your regular activities more quickly.
*PLEASE NOTE: These strategies are not a substitute for actual medical care. If you have not seen a doctor for your head injury, do that first. Concussions and head injuries can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. When YouTube star Jeff Wittek suffered a head injury after a filmed stunt went terribly wrong, he started experiencing depression, anxiety, and extreme emotional stress. His mental health had sunk so low, he visited Amen Clinics to get his brain scanned (read about Wittek’s initial brain scan evaluation here) and find out what he could do to improve his symptoms. In true YouTuber fashion, he did his evaluation with Daniel G. Amen, MD—a renowned psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and founder of Amen Clinics—in front of a camera. In the initial aftermath of his accident, Wittek tried to hide what happened to him from his fans and followers. “I covered it up, and I put on prosthetic makeup, and I’ve played up the injuries as a joke like it was fake because I was so embarrassed about what happened,” he admitted to Dr. Amen. Wittek has made a name for himself with a YouTube talk show that features him in a barbershop giving his guests a haircut. Wittek is a trained barber, but many of his guests aren’t aware of that fact and are put on edge wondering if he’s going to butcher their hair. It makes for some hilarious interactions. In the show, Wittek comes off as an arrogant, narcissistic New Yorker, but that’s simply a character he’s created. He’s never wanted to reveal his true self. “I don’t want to do that, because I don’t want to open myself up to criticism from people,” he said. But now, faced with head trauma and mental health issues, Wittek has decided he’s ready to be more vulnerable and wants to share his journey. “It got really dark at times,” he said, but “I can document my healing over time.” He hopes his story can help others who might be suffering.

The Link Between Head Injuries and Psychiatric Issues

In his evaluation at Amen Clinics, Wittek learned something that few people—even doctors and psychiatrists—know. Mild traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a major cause of psychiatric disorders. This remains a little-known fact because the field of psychiatry typically never looks at the organ it treats—the brain. Amen Clinics is different and uses brain SPECT imaging as one of a suite of evaluation tools. SPECT is a sophisticated brain mapping tool that measures blood flow and activity in the brain. It shows 3 things: A wealth of research shows that concussions and other head injuries increase the risk of depression, anxiety and panic disorders, ADD/ADHD, PTSD, drug and alcohol abuse, personality disorders, psychosis, suicide, and more. Many people never make the connection between their mental health issues and a head injury they experienced. In part, this is because symptoms may not appear for weeks or months after the head trauma occurred. This means people may eventually seek treatment for their psychiatric symptoms, but if they never heal their brain from the underlying trauma, traditional treatments may not be effective. Wittek is one of the lucky ones in that respect. He noticed that his mental health symptoms arose following his head injury and suspected that his brain had been damaged and was affecting his emotional well-being. He was right. The YouTuber underwent brain SPECT imaging so he could see how the injury was impacting the way his brain functions. Seeing his brain helped him make a commitment to follow Dr. Amen’s recommendations for healing. YouTuber Jeff Wittek noticed that his mental health symptoms arose following his head injury and suspected that his brain had been damaged and was affecting his emotional well-being. He was right.
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Healing from Head Trauma and Mental Health Issues

In Wittek’s evaluation, he learned about several strategies to help heal the brain after experiencing head trauma. In addition, he discovered ways he can change negative thinking patterns that contribute to depression. Here are just some of the recommendations he and Dr. Amen discussed:

Avoid alcohol.

Amen informed Wittek that brain imaging clearly shows that alcohol can damage the brain. Wittek admits he used to consume alcohol, but he gave up drinking several years ago. “With alcohol, I was numbing my brain and there were so many parts of it that I didn’t unlock because I was hungover,” he said, adding that drinking “would give me confidence, and make me funnier, and more charismatic, and likable, the life of the party. But in turn, that would just make me worse the next day, when I had to film videos for millions of people.”

Stop smoking marijuana.

Wittek admitted that he switched from drinking to smoking marijuana, which he said helps him temporarily disconnect from the stresses of the real world. He also thinks it heightens his creativity and helps him come up with ideas. “Sometimes, a little weed gives me a million-dollar idea,” the YouTuber said. Dr. Amen explained to Wittek that he needs to stop smoking marijuana because Amen Clinics studies show that cannabis prematurely ages the brain and lowers blood flow to the brain. Other research has found that smoking pot can trigger psychosis. When the brain is damaged, it’s imperative to eliminate things that hurt the brain.

Be careful with over-the-counter medications.

Many people don’t realize that some everyday medications you can buy off the shelf at the drug store can actually be harmful to the brain. Take sleep aids, for example. Wittek had been taking Ambien to help calm his busy mind at night so he could sleep, but Dr. Amen said there are healthier ways to do so. He recommends natural supplements that promote rest and relaxation, including magnesium, melatonin, GABA, 5-HTP, vitamin B6, and L-theanine.

Change your thinking patterns.

As Dr. Amen explained to Wittek, your thoughts influence your brain function. Every time you have a negative thought, your brain releases chemicals that make you feel bad. Think a happy thought, and it triggers the release of chemicals that make you feel good. Learning to question your automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) is a powerful technique to enhance brain function and help you feel better on a more consistent basis.

Seeing is Believing

By showing Wittek his damaged brain and explaining how his brain function impacts his mental and emotional well-being, it helped the YouTuber in many ways. Seeing his brain scan helped Wittek understand that the damage to his brain is real, his issues are medical, not moral, and there is hope for healing. Head injuries, depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. YouTube star and vlog squad member Jeff Wittek suffered a horrific injury resulting from a filmed stunt gone wrong. The accident caused severe facial injuries and nearly cost him his eye. Since then, he’s endured several painful surgeries. From the scars on his face, his millions of followers could tell he’d suffered from something terrible, but what people couldn’t see was that he was also suffering on the inside. His mental health began to deteriorate, and he was experiencing a different kind of pain he had never felt before in his entire life—depression, anxiety, and serious emotional stress. From the scars on his face, YouTuber Jeff Wittek’s millions of followers could tell he’d suffered from something terrible, but what people couldn’t see was that he was also suffering on the inside as his mental health deteriorated.
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A YouTube Stunt Gone Terribly Wrong

“I’m obsessed with my profession,” Jeff said to Daniel G. Amen, MD, when he met with the psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and founder of Amen Clinics. “I just want everything to be perfect. and just be the best I can be when I put out these videos.” During the pandemic, Jeff turned 30 and had gotten to a point in his professional life where he wanted to create something bigger. “I can’t just be making these silly, stupid videos anymore,” he said. He agreed to do a stunt for a friend’s video that was going to be monumental. It involved an excavator, a massive piece of machinery used in construction that spins. In the middle of a lake, Jeff was going to be dangling on a wakeboard attached to the end of a rope on the excavator’s arm as it spun as fast as possible. It sounded like a lot of fun—at least for a YouTuber like Jeff who is used to doing crazy stuff most people would never do—until he spun wildly out of control and went flying face-first into the excavator itself. Jeff broke his hip, had 9 fractures in his skull and face, and had a full orbital blowout fracture. He couldn’t see out of one of his eyes. “Everybody thought I was gonna die,” he recalls. “I was pale white, and I lost a lot of blood.” His YouTube colleagues and friends put him into a car and rushed him to the hospital. along the way, Jeff tried to pull down the car’s visor, but his friends stopped him. They told him not to look at his face, and that’s when the influencer knew it was bad, really bad. And the 30-year-old had no idea that things were about to get worse.

When the Invisible Struggle Is Worse

As Jeff went through the process to heal from the head trauma and many fractures, he began to notice another side effect of the accident. He started feeling anxious and had a persistent blue mood. “I never thought that depression or anxiety or anything like that was even a real thing,” he admitted. “When I heard people talk about having it, I thought it would just be like, ‘Okay, you’re just a little nervous or something or you’re overreacting.’” He still has a hard time believing that it could be happening to him. “It’s just something I never expected I would go through,” he said. “I was in jail and I didn’t go through it.” As the weeks and months passed, things got worse, not better. “It got dark,” he recalled. “A couple months after the accident it was some of the darkest days of my life.” With all the changes in his mental health, he began to suspect his brain was also affected. That’s when he decided to visit Dr. Amen at Amen Clinics for a brain scan.

What Jeff’s Brain SPECT Scans Reveal

On a scale of 1-10, how bad was Jeff’s brain after the accident? When Dr. Amen told Jeff that his brain was currently a 4 out of 10, it hit hard. “I didn’t think it was that bad,” says Jeff. But the YouTuber’s brain SPECT scans showed why. SPECT is a brain imaging tool that measures blood flow and activity in the brain and it shows 3 things:   Jeff’s scan showed abnormal activity in several areas, including the following: Prefrontal cortex: This part of the brain located behind the forehead, which is where Jeff’s head rammed into the excavator, is involved with planning, impulse control, judgment, organization, learning from the mistakes you make, and more. Jeff’s scan showed low blood flow to this critical brain region, which is considered the part of the brain that makes us human. Dr. Amen explained to Jeff that when you have decreased blood flow here, “You can do things and say things you shouldn’t do.” Limbic system: The limbic system is involved in setting a person’s emotional tone. On Jeff’s scan, it shows overactivity in this region, which is associated with heightened anxiety and low moods. “Bumpy” appearance: In healthy SPECT surface scans, there is a smooth, even appearance to the brain. On Jeff’s surface scan, it looks more “bumpy,” which is sometimes a sign of exposure to toxins. Jeff admits that he used to have a problem with booze (he says he stopped drinking 3 years ago), which is commonly associated with “bumpiness” on brain scans. As Dr. Amen explained to him, “Your brain is older than you are.” Other neurocognitive tests Jeff took at Amen Clinics showed high scores for stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as conscious negativity. This means a negative outlook on life in general.

How Head Trauma Impacts Your Life

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), as well as the surgeries to treat injuries associated with head trauma, can have serious consequences in many areas of your life.

Healing an Injured Brain

On the bright side, it is possible to heal after head trauma. Although Jeff expressed concern about how bad his brain looked, Dr. Amen assured him that his brain wasn’t permanently damaged. And he said that if Jeff followed the recommendations he gave him, he could dramatically improve the health of his brain and decrease his symptoms. Head injuries, depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. When thinking of the term traumatic brain injury (TBI), often what comes to mind is someone who has had a catastrophic incident that has resulted in a skull fracture, brain hemorrhage, or other very serious consequence of head trauma. People may imagine the cause of such injuries come from events like a bad auto accident, a combat injury, a snowboarder falling head-first into the lip of a half-pipe, or a bicycle racer losing control on a steep descent and crashing at high speed. While all these scenarios are possible, the cause of most TBIs is far less dramatic, but can still disrupt brain function and result in numerous symptoms and lasting cognitive problems or mental health issues.

EVERY TBI MATTERS!

According to the CDC, there are approximately 2.5 million emergency room visits each year for TBIs; however, we know that many head injuries are never reported. So often, people hit their head—”get their bell rung”—and don’t think much about it afterward, unless they have some symptoms. Even though someone doesn’t crack their skull or is wearing a helmet, it does not mean the brain didn’t get hurt. Here’s why: The brain is very soft, like the texture of soft butter. It sits inside a very hard skull which is designed to protect it. BUT when you hit your head, something hits you in the head, or your head gets jerked really hard (such as whiplash), the force can cause your brain to slam into the inside of the skull, which has boney ridges that help keep the brain in place. The force against your brain from any kind of impact can cause shearing of the axons (the connecting fibers that let cells communicate) and disrupt normal function in the brain. The brain can also get “bruised” (a contusion), it can bleed, or it can develop blood clots which are potentially fatal. As amazing and powerful as our brains are, they are also very delicate. The force against your brain from any kind of impact can cause shearing of the axons (the connecting fibers that let cells communicate) and other problems that disrupt normal function in the brain.
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THE 3 LEVELS OF TBI

Depending on the severity of a brain injury, a person may have a few symptoms—or many—and have them in varying degrees. Traumatic brain injuries are classified into 3 levels: mild, moderate, and severe based on:

1. Severe TBI

With severe traumatic brain injuries, there is significant damage to the brain and most people must be hospitalized for a period of time. Severe TBIs can result in damage to any number of important areas of function, such as motor coordination, speech, cognition, vision, and capacity for self-care. Many patients will undergo extensive rehabilitation to help regain—or at least improve—functions that were diminished or lost due to the injury. Some brain damage may be permanent.

2. Moderate TBI

With moderate TBI, symptoms can appear almost immediately or within a few days of the injury. As with severe TBI, moderate head trauma can cause impairment in important functions too, but to a lesser degree. These patients can also struggle with symptoms such as headaches, nausea, vision or speech problems, sensitivity to light and sound, cognitive changes, and mood problems, among others. Some may fully recover from their symptoms, but some people may not.

3. Mild TBI

This type of brain injury is what we often refer to as a concussion and accounts for the vast majority of TBIs. There are many causes, including motor vehicle accidents; sports such as football, soccer, hockey—even cheerleading; recreational activities; falls; and assaults. With a concussion, a person may develop symptoms right away or after a few days or weeks. Common symptoms include: Although the symptoms of mild TBI are not as debilitating as those with moderate or severe brain injuries, they can still cause a wide range of impairments and interfere with psychosocial functioning. For instance, a person may suddenly struggle to do their job or schoolwork or become uncharacteristically irritable and fatigued. With rest and following the doctor’s orders, many people appear to recover well from a mild TBI, even though there may be some long-lasting or permanent changes inside the brain. Remember, the brain is very soft, and the skull is very hard!

LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF MILD TBI/CONCUSSIONS

The term “mild TBI” is deceiving, and it causes many people to overlook the potential long-term consequences of concussions and repeated concussions. A study published in JAMA Neurology in February 2021 examined the frequency of repeated head impacts of Division 1 college football players. The research found that players had an average of 415 impacts to their heads each season! Interestingly, most of these occurred during practice and preseason training. This is very concerning because of the growing research about the long-term consequences of repetitive trauma to the brain. Left untreated, even mild TBI/concussions can increase the risk of mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, aggression and behavior problems, dementia, and even suicide. Left untreated, even mild TBI/concussions can increase the risk of mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, aggression and behavior problems, dementia and even suicide.
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YOUR BRAIN CAN GET BETTER AFTER A TBI

Even if your TBI was a while ago, there are things you can do to make it better. Choosing healthy lifestyle changes to take care of your brain now can make all the difference in the world.

Here are 5 easy tips to help you get started:

  1. Eat a brain-healthy diet with lots of greens and fresh produce, high-quality protein, and low-glycemic carbs.
  2. Exercise regularly to help boost blood flow to your brain.
  3. Manage your stress with meditation/prayer or yoga.
  4. Exercise your brain by learning new things and doing online brain games.
  5. Help your brain with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), a non-invasive treatment that uses pure oxygen to speed the healing process.
Taking good care of your brain is the most important thing you can do to live a better life after a TBI/concussion. TBIs and concussions can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, brain scans reveal that 40% of patients have suffered a mild TBI—although many of them don’t remember it—that contributes to their cognitive or psychiatric symptoms. We have developed a proven, science-backed, integrative Concussion Rescue Program to help heal your brain and overcome your symptoms. During these uncertain times, your cognitive and mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. And as an essential medical practice, our clinics are open to serve you. For more information about our Concussion Rescue Program, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. It’s hard to imagine why a man would pay women to abuse him, but that’s the dark world Brandon has been stuck in. For years, he has solicited women to cause him physical pain by stepping on his face and neck, walking on him, kicking him in the groin and other abuse, while wearing expensive designer shoes. He even had someone run over his arm. And he pays money for them to do these things to him. Pain helps to make Brandon feel alive. Even though he has been with his girlfriend, Lindsay, for more than 2 years now, he continues to engage in this of kind behavior with other women to get his needs met outside of their relationship. While Brandon recognizes that his desire to have women demean and abuse him is abnormal, it feels good to him in the moment. In fact, the more he pushes his limits, the greater the thrill or reward he experiences. At the same time, he feels shameful about it—not just the behavior—but the constant lying and hurt he causes Lindsay. The biggest problem for Brandon though, is his inability to stop. Like an addict who can’t stay away from drugs, Brandon can’t control his urges to seek out pain.

A Referral to Amen Clinics was Needed!

When Lindsay and Brandon were featured on the Dr. Phil show recently, Lindsay said she believes Brandon needs help; that she loves him but feels something is wrong with him, and maybe he could get better with the right help. Dr. Phil agreed and said he suspected Brandon’s history of traumatic brain injury was playing a big role in his significant behavior problems. He referred Brandon to Amen Clinics for a full evaluation of his brain–STAT! Dr. Phil explained to Brandon that seeing Dr. Daniel Amen was the first step in healing his brain because Amen Clinics does some of the finest work in the country in evaluating and rehabilitating brains. He also knew Dr. Amen would give Brandon a personalized treatment plan to address his brain and behavior issues.

The Power of Brain Scans

Dr. Amen, who uses brain SPECT imaging as part of the evaluations at Amen Clinics, met with Brandon to discuss what his brain scans revealed. There were some very telling clues about Brandon’s behavior issues. To begin with, there was extensive injury to his brain as evidenced by several areas of low blood flow, particularly in his prefrontal cortex (PFC). This area is the brain’s CEO and is involved with: While many of these functions were compromised for him, the biggest issue for Brandon was his utter lack of impulse control. Even if he wants to stop himself, the odds are against him because the brakes of his brain don’t work! Another area of concern from his scans was the low blood flow in his temporal lobes. Damage to this part of the brain can cause problems with language, memory, anger, mood instability, and dark thoughts. And it was Brandon’s dark thoughts that were troublesome even to himself—that he had them and couldn’t control them. As Dr. Amen says, “It’s easy to say a person is bad. It’s harder to ask why.” This is the reason he uses brain SPECT imaging to look at the brain and identify the underlying causes of symptoms and behavior problems. It’s easy to say a person is bad. It’s harder to ask why. Using brain SPECT imaging to look at the brain helps us identify the underlying causes of symptoms and behavior problems.
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While Brandon is fully responsible for his decisions and behavior—and recognizes this—it was very helpful for him to understand the problems with his brain. Using the brain scans to identify the problem areas, Dr. Amen was able to give Brandon a specific treatment plan so he can start healing and strengthening his brain while he works on changing his maladaptive behaviors.

Brain Trauma and Mental Illness

Unfortunately, many people with brain trauma don’t know they have it because most doctors don’t actually look at the function of a person’s brain. Without looking at the brain, how can you know what’s really going on? Have you ever had a concussion or other type of head injury? Did you know brain trauma is a major cause of mental illness and behavior problems? Left untreated, a brain injury can lead to: The good news is that with the right diagnosis and treatment, your brain really can get better. Learning to avoid things that hurt your brain, engaging in brain-healthy habits, taking targeted nutraceuticals—or medications if necessary—and other therapies can help optimize your brain function, even if you’ve had a head injury. You are not necessarily stuck with the brain you have today! TBI and concussions can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. So, you fall off a ladder, get whiplash in a car accident, or wipe out on your bike and whack your head. You may get diagnosed with a concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) and told to “take it easy.” But then you start experiencing brain fog, a fuzzy memory, irritability, blue moods, or other issues. In a pro-active move, you decide to seek professional help and are advised to get a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. You’re hoping it will reveal answers that could lead to effective solutions for these problems. But then your physician tells you that your MRI results are normal and that’s the end of the line in terms of any treatment. But you’re still experiencing bothersome symptoms. How frustrating! When it comes to your cognitive, emotional, and psychological health following a head injury, MRI is not conclusive, and it isn’t the best brain imaging tool. Before exploring why MRI falls short and why other types of brain imaging are more effective, let’s look at how TBIs impact mental health. When it comes to your cognitive, emotional, and psychological health following a head injury, MRI is not conclusive, and it isn’t the best brain imaging tool.
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HEAD TRAUMA AND MENTAL HEALTH

Many people, including many mental health professionals, don’t realize that head trauma is associated with an increased risk of mental health problems. Some of the problems that can develop following a TBI include: A history of head injuries has also been linked to greater odds of incarceration and homelessness. Sometimes these symptoms develop soon after a brain injury; other times they don’t appear until weeks, months, or even years later. For this reason, many people don’t make the connection between their psychological issues, cognitive troubles, or behavioral problems and a past concussion or TBI.

WHY MRI DOESN’T TELL THE WHOLE STORY FOLLOWING A TBI

MRI isn’t the most useful scanning technology when psychological or cognitive issues develop after a head injury. This is because MRI, which uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to provide detailed pictures, only shows the structure and anatomy of the brain. The 3-D images it creates can reveal anatomical problems in the brain or brain stem, such as swelling, inflammation, tumors, cysts, blood vessel problems, or infections. The problem with MRI is that it doesn’t provide any information about the way the brain is functioning. And mental, emotional, and behavioral issues are all related to brain function. In fact, many times an MRI will appear normal after a TBI when there is actually functional damage to the brain that could be contributing to mental health symptoms.

SPECT: A BETTER BRAIN IMAGING TOOL FOR HEAD INJURIES

Functional brain SPECT imaging is a better way to identify areas of the brain that aren’t working optimally after a concussion, TBI, or repetitive sub-concussive traumas (like contact from tackle football, blows from boxing, or heading soccer balls). SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography) is a nuclear medicine study that evaluates blood flow and activity in the brain. Basically, this state-of-the-art brain mapping tool shows three things: Even if MRI results are normal following a head injury, SPECT can reveal areas of the brain that aren’t functioning optimally. Then based on what is seen, treatment can help balance your brain—to calm it down if it is working too hard or stimulate it if it is underactive. One of the big lessons from brain SPECT imaging is that a TBI—even a mild one that doesn’t cause you to blackout—can ruin your life (and subsequently impact the lives of your loved ones). Without functional brain imaging tools like SPECT, psychiatrists and other mental health professionals will never be able to know if psychological, behavioral, and cognitive issues are related to underlying brain dysfunction. Without that information, they have to rely solely on symptom clusters, which can lead to misdiagnosis and treatment failures. SPECT scans show that approximately 40% of patients who come to Amen Clinics have experienced a TBI. Many of them don’t even recall experiencing a head injury. Prior to undergoing brain SPECT imaging at Amen Clinics, many of them were misdiagnosed and struggled with multiple treatment failures. Functional brain imaging with SPECT gives psychiatrists valuable insights that can help them identify any underlying problems with brain activity, so you can get the most effective treatment plan and start feeling better fast. TBIs—along with the depression, anxiety, brain fog, and other mental health conditions that can develop after a head injury—can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental and cognitive well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer a Concussion Rescue Program that includes brain SPECT imaging and has already helped thousands of patients improve their cognitive function. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Armored vehicles, stun guns, tear gas—these are some of the tools law enforcement personnel use in the field. But the National Police Association is realizing that there is one weapon in police officers’ arsenal that is more powerful than any other—the brain.     The National Police Association is realizing that there is one weapon in police officers’ arsenal that is more powerful than any other—the brain.
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The National Police Association has begun encouraging all of its officers to support their brain health by following the research, advice, and books of 12-time New York Times bestselling author, psychiatrist, and founder of Amen Clinics, Daniel G. Amen, MD. A brain health expert, Dr. Amen has scanned the brains of many police officers as part of a full evaluation at Amen Clinics and has worked closely with some police departments to implement a program that promotes better brain health.

IMPACTS OF A CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT ON BRAIN HEALTH

A wealth of research shows that a career in law enforcement exposes officers to a variety of stressors that can have a negative impact on brain health. Here’s what the National Police Association is recommending to its officers and what you can learn from Dr. Amen’s strategies to optimize the brain.

Head Injuries

There’s a concussion crisis in law enforcement. There’s a shortage of statistics on the number of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) suffered by law enforcement personnel, however, police officers are 3 times more likely to experience a nonfatal injury than all other U.S. workers, according to a 2018 study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. According to Dr. Amen, mild TBIs are a major cause of mental illness but few people know it because traditional psychiatrists never look at the brain. Optimizing brain health: The National Police Association now recommends that officers wear protective headgear more frequently in an effort to avoid head trauma. Dr. Amen also suggests avoiding playing contact sports, wearing a helmet when biking or skiing, and holding the railing when walking down stairs.

Emotional Trauma

Approximately 10% of first responders will develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to 2018 findings from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). PTSD is associated with an increased risk of anxiety, depression, anger, panic attacks, addictions, and other issues. The brain SPECT imaging work at Amen Clinics shows that PTSD is associated with too much activity in several areas of the brain, including the limbic system (the brain’s emotional center), basal ganglia (the brain’s anxiety center), and anterior cingulate gyrus (the brain’s gear shifter that helps you go from thought to thought or action to action). On SPECT scans, it typically resembles a diamond pattern. In a 2005 Amen Clinics evaluation of 6 police officers who had been involved in on-the-job shootings and who had developed PTSD, the “diamond pattern” was seen in all of their brain scans. Optimizing brain health: The National Police Association recommends arming police officers with coping strategies for dealing with trauma and encourages seeing a mental health professional following traumatic events. One therapy Dr. Amen suggests for overcoming emotional trauma is EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), a non-invasive treatment intended to remove the emotional charges attached to traumatic memories.

Mental Health Issues

Law enforcement personnel are at greater risk of mental health problems, with research showing that approximately 30% of first responders will develop some type of behavioral health condition compared to just 20% of the general population. Brain SPECT imaging shows that issues such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD (see above) are associated with abnormal brain activity. Optimizing brain health: Loving and caring for the brain are foundational steps for police officers—and for everybody—to reduce symptoms associated with psychiatric disorders.

Substance Abuse

Studies have shown that police officers are at risk for drinking problems and substance abuse as a way to cope with the stresses of the job. Alcohol and drugs are toxic for the brain and impair brain function. Optimizing brain health: The National Police Association says that introducing officers to effective stress-management techniques and addressing trauma-related issues can help them avoid turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms like alcohol and drugs. According to Dr. Amen, there is hope for recovery even if drugs or alcohol have negatively impacted brain function. Before-and-after SPECT scans of Amen Clinics patients with drug or alcohol addictions show some of the most dramatic improvements.

Sleep Issues

People in law enforcement often work rotating shifts, night shifts, and long hours that lead to fatigue or lack of quality sleep. Inadequate sleep is detrimental to brain health in many ways. During sleep, your brain cleans or washes by eliminating cellular debris and toxins that build up during the day (basically taking out the neural trash), consolidates learning and memory, and prepares for the following day. The brain processes that occur during sleep are also important for the health of your immune system, appetite control, and neurotransmitter production. Over time, sleep problems can lead to a higher risk of depression, ADD/ADHD, panic attacks, brain fog, memory problems, and dementia. Optimizing brain health: The National Police Association is recommending that officers receive adequate time off to ensure they can get the sleep they need. According to Dr. Amen, everyone should aim for at least 7 hours of quality sleep each day. Creating a healthy sleep routine—shutting off electronics 2 hours before bedtime; making sure the bedroom isn’t too warm; and taking calming supplements like magnesium, melatonin, GABA, and 5-HTP—can be helpful. PTSD, concussions, addictions, and other mental health and brain health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. When you think of memory loss, you probably think about elderly people in nursing homes with Alzheimer’s disease. But forgetfulness can affect younger people too. It’s not uncommon for people in their 30s or 40s to start feeling the effects of faulty memory. That’s what brought actress Jennie Garth to Amen Clinics. Jennie is the co-host of a podcast about Beverly Hills 90210, the wildly popular 1990s TV show she starred in with her podcast co-host Tori Spelling, as well as Jason Priestley, Shannen Doherty, and the late Luke Perry. The 90210MG podcast has earned a healthy following, but it has brought to light an uncomfortable truth for Jennie: “My best friend who’s doing it with me can remember everything, and I can’t remember anything. And it’s really frustrating, and it’s upsetting to me.” Throughout her long career, the actress has had to memorize thousands of scripts, which requires an excellent recall. But like many of the younger or middle-aged people who come to Amen Clinics for memory issues, Jennie says, “I feel like my short-term memory has taken over for my long-term memory.” “I can’t remember anything. And it’s really frustrating, and it’s upsetting to me.”—Jennie Garth, actress, and 90210MG podcast co-host, who visited Amen Clinics for a brain scan to learn what’s causing her memory problems.
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WHAT JENNIE GARTH’S BRAIN SCANS REVEAL

To address her concerns about her memory, Jennie had brain SPECT imaging studies at Amen Clinics, the global leader in brain health. As a way to help others who might be experiencing forgetfulness, the actress shared a video of her scan experience and evaluation with Daniel G. Amen, MD, the founder of Amen Clinics and 12-time New York Times bestselling author. SPECT is a technology that measures blood flow and activity in the brain that shows 3 things: Jennie underwent 2 SPECT studies, including a surface scan that shows blood flow, and an active scan that reveals activity levels throughout the brain. Here surface scan looked “beautiful” according to Dr. Amen, but it did show evidence of a possible head injury (perhaps from a past accident or fall?) and slightly lower blood flow near the hippocampus (an important region involved in memory). The actress’s active scan, however, revealed a very busy brain with too much activity in areas such as the basal ganglia (a region associated with anxiety). What does all of this mean in terms of memory?

CAUSES OF MEMORY LOSS IN YOUNGER PEOPLE

As Dr. Amen explained in his evaluation with Jennie, some things that can cause memory problems and brain fog regardless of a person’s age. Here are some of the most common.

SOLUTIONS FOR EARLY MEMORY PROBLEMS

In younger people who are experiencing brain for or memory issues, the following strategies may help. Memory loss, chronic stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your relationships and symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. A powerful documentary featuring Daniel G. Amen, MD, is set to be released November 10, 2020, on Amazon (DVD and SVOD). Based on Adam and Andrew Marr’s bestselling Tales from the Blast Factory, EMMY Award-winning director Jerri Sher’s latest documentary Quiet Explosions: Healing the Brain tells the compelling story of veterans and others whose lives were shattered after suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI), but who eventually made miraculous recoveries.

THE TBI/PTSD EPIDEMIC

Did you know 16.8 U.S. military veterans commit suicide every day? Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are underlying factors in many of those deaths. Every year, over 2 million Americans—military and others—sustain a TBI. Even when it doesn’t lead to suicide, TBI and PTSD can ruin a person’s life. Head trauma is a major cause of psychiatric illness, but very few people know it because most mental health professionals never look at the brains of their patients. Research shows that TBIs increase the risk of: Head trauma is a major cause of psychiatric illness, but very few people know it because most mental health professionals never look at the brains of their patients.
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At Amen Clinics, brain SPECT imaging shows that 40% of patients have experienced some form of head trauma. Many patients don’t remember experiencing a head injury, or they never connected the incident to their emotional, behavioral, or cognitive symptoms. Following a head injury or traumatic event, some people develop PTSD, which affects an estimated 3.5% of U.S. adults. With the pandemic, however, research is showing that rates of PTSD are likely to rise. Some of the symptoms associated with PTSD include distressing memories, flashbacks, anxiety, depression, feeling emotionally numb, guilt, shame, problems sleeping, anger, and irritability. All of these can keep you from living the life you want.

AMEN CLINICS PATIENTS FEATURED IN QUIET EXPLOSIONS

Among the people featured in the documentary, Quiet Explosions are Super Bowl XXVI MVP Mark Rypien, famed “Notre Dame Killer” running back from USC Anthony Davis, and big-wave surfer Shawn Dollar—all of whom received treatment at Amen Clinics. Each of these world-class athletes had brain SPECT imaging scans performed at Amen Clinics. SPECT is a nuclear medicine tool that measures blood flow and activity in the brain. It shows three things—areas with healthy activity, areas with too much activity, and areas with too little activity. Each of their scans showed signs of brain trauma. Dollar says his brain scans showed he’s suffered “hundreds, if not thousands, of concussions.”

DISTINGUISHING TBI FROM PTSD

Many of the symptoms seen in PTSD are also seen in people with TBI. Unfortunately, most healthcare professionals never look at the brain with functional brain scans, so they can’t detect the brain patterns associated with TBI and PTSD. This results in too many people being misdiagnosed and given the wrong kind of treatment. Getting the wrong treatment can make your symptoms worse, which leads to more unnecessary suffering. Functional brain imaging with SPECT can help. The research team at Amen Clinics, in collaboration with other scientists, has published two groundbreaking studies showing that brain SPECT imaging can distinguish TBI from PTSD with 94% accuracy. This research was named in Discover Magazine’s Top 100 science discoveries of 2015. This is important because MRI or CT scans, which show the brain’s structure, often find that people with mild TBI or PTSD have “normal” results. This leaves people who are suffering feeling like they’re imagining their symptoms and that there is no hope for recovery. This is wrong. TBI and PTSD can be treated effectively.

TREATING TBI AND PTSD

Each of the three TBI survivors who visited Amen Clinics got their lives back with treatment protocols that are ignored by most traditional healthcare providers. At Amen Clinics, concussion rescue treatments may include: These are in addition to a comprehensive concussion rescue brain-body approach that also includes brain healthy nutrition, lifestyle changes, targeted nutraceuticals, and more. For PTSD, treatment may also include EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), a powerful, non-invasive therapy for overcoming emotional trauma. The documentary Quiet Explosions explores the treatments that helped Rypien, Davis, Dollar, and several other remarkable people get their lives back. It may give you or a loved one hope for healing. TBIs, PTSD, and other mental health conditions can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.