New Study Reveals Striking Condition Associated with Traumatic Brain Injuries
As personal injury attorneys who bring claims on behalf of our clients who suffer from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) due to the negligence or misconduct of another party, it is critical that all of us are aware of what the latest scientific studies indicate could be related conditions that are not discovered until a later date, after the initial TBI, because this affects the medical outcome and recovery for our clients. To that effect, a new study just released may have serious implications for TBIs and what related health conditions follow after they are incurred:
Specifically, according to the study, while TBI exposure is a known risk factor for hypopituitarism, patients with hypopituitarism secondary to TBI exposure may go undiagnosed because the signs and symptoms of hypopituitarism can be subtle. This has a number of implications for victims of TBIs, but in particular, US military veterans, who they are now finding can, in some circumstances, suffer from hypopituitarism due to TBIs years later.
What Is A TBI?
A TBI is defined as a disruption in brain function due to a blow, bump, jolt, or penetrating injury to the head, and it is a fairly common occurrence for those who serve in the US military, with more than 20 percent who have served affected by TBIs. Their classification can range from mild to severe, with mild TBIs – also referred to as concussions – accounting for more than 80 percent of all service members who have experienced TBI exposure. They are characterized by confusion, post-traumatic amnesia, or loss of consciousness.
What Is Hypopituitarism? Why Is This A Concern?
Hypopituitarism is defined as a deficiency in one or more of the hormones produced by the pituitary gland, such as growth hormone or thyroid-stimulating hormone. While normally a very rare condition, it has a prevalence of more than 35 percent as a complication after TBI exposure when it is found within five months after the exposure.
The background for some of those suffering from TBIs and related conditions like hypopituitarism could include, for example, someone who had been a tank operator during their military service and suffered blast-related subconcussive to concussive insults characterized by headaches and disorientation after firing tank rounds; sometimes including secondary head impacts while inside the tank. Just this one TBI can lead to a lifetime of terrible side effects that ruin people’s lives, such as persistent fatigue, low libido, physical limitations including excessive weight gain and exercise intolerance, inability to build muscle, and more.
If You’ve Suffered A Brain Injury Due To Negligence, Contact Our Macon, Georgia Personal Injury Attorneys Today
According to the conclusions of this study, if you have experienced a TBI and you are experiencing cognitive impairments, chronic fatigue, exercise intolerance, mood changes, and/or sexual dysfunction within three months of the TBI exposure, , it is critical that you also obtain neuroendocrine workup from your doctors because your injuries could be more severe than originally thought.
The Law Offices of Buzzell, Welsh & Hill are here to help. If your or a loved one has experienced a TBI due to someone or something else’s negligence and you have concerns about that and other medical conditions, contact our Macon brain injury lawyers today for a free consultation and find out what some of your options might be.
Source:
cureus.com/articles/166849-hypopituitarism-after-mild-traumatic-brain-injury-a-case-report#!/
