Traumatic brain injuries or TBIs are one of the most common injuries after a car accident. While some TBIs only need rest following the accident, more severe injuries may require you to go through further treatment.
If you suffered from a catastrophic brain injury, you may require ongoing treatment and rehabilitation, explains the National Institute of Health.
How can ongoing therapy help?
Ongoing therapy may begin while you are still in the hospital. Following your hospital stay, it may continue in a nursing facility, at home, in outpatient programs or several different places.
Rehabilitation helps you relearn skills you may have lost after the accident. If you have a disability, rehabilitation can help you discover new ways to perform old tasks. You learn to care for yourself.
Sometimes a patient may only need to go through rehabilitation therapy for a short time following the injury. Others, however, may have to continue rehabilitation throughout their life.
What are the ongoing therapies?
Your rehabilitation may include multiple different specialists, including your primary care doctor. Specialists will work with you and your family to improve your quality of life in the following ways:
- Cognitive therapy focuses on your ability to reason, think and to remember
- Physical therapy focuses on your physical strength, flexibility and your ability to balance
- Psychological counseling focuses on your mental health and ability to cope with life after your injury
- Occupational therapy focuses on basic functions such as cooking, bathing and other daily tasks
- Vocational counseling focuses on helping you find work opportunities
The length of time you require rehabilitation therapy depends on your specific condition and needs.
