Consider a piece of technology such as a labtop or tablet. Let’s say you drop it from a significant height of the ground, causing a small crack on the screen and minor systemic software defects. You must be extra careful with your gadget now – even a small bump can result in much greater signs of damage. An initial injury made your computer much more vulnerable to additional problems because an initial damage introduced multiple more defect locations that future damage can build on. An important concept to grasp is that those who are suffering from mTBI are more susceptible to greater injury afterwards.
SIS is characterized by sudden swelling of the brain during the recovery period of an initial mTBI. As with the example above, the second injury resulting in SIS can be much less severe than the first even though the apparent damage is greater. SIS should not be taken lightly as complications can be very severe.
Not all chronic mTBI-related conditions are as severe as SIS. However, a condition such as PCS can have significant implications on one’s quality of life. If you or a loved one is suspicious of a chronic mTBI-related condition, it is imperative to receive an evaluation as soon as possible. For instance, in many cases, an evaluation may help determine in many case whether or not one is suffering from dementia, PCS, or a different disorder entirely.
Typically, those with PCS will present with three or more of the following symptoms for a sustained amount of time:
Here at Pathways we tackle the complex nature of PCS in a comprehensive manner: