What is spasticity?
Spasticity is the uncontrolled overactivity of muscles caused by disrupted signals from the brain. It is common in persons with more severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). People with spasticity may feel as if their muscles have tightened and will not relax or stretch. They may also feel muscle ...
A severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects more than just the injured person. It also affects family members and friends who love and are close to the person who is injured. As one of these people, you play a very important role in caring for a loved one with a ...
Click the triangle below to listen to the podcast brief and access the transcript by clicking here.
MSKTC Radio · Understanding a Burn Injury
PHASE I: Burn Evaluation & Early Care
What Is a Burn Injury?
A burn injury is damage to the layers of skin caused by exposure to the one of the ...
What You Can Do About Your Pain
In the same way that pain is personal, so too are strategies for managing it. Learning to manage pain is a process that takes practice. Don’t get discouraged if the process is difficult at the start.
In this document, you’ll find some common strategies for ...
Pain is an unpleasant sensation that can range from mild to very severe. Pain is very personal; two people can have the same type and amount of pain and have very different reactions to it.
Pain is usually considered chronic when it lasts more than three months. Many people with traumatic ...
What are irritability, anger, and aggression and how can you recognize them?
Irritability is an emotional state in which a person has a short temper and is easily annoyed or angered. As a result, small things can lead to harsh reactions (for example, snapping at family or friends). This is most ...
People hospitalized for a burn injury often describe it as one of the most painful injuries one can experience Opioids are frequently prescribed to help alleviate this pain.
Although there is not one standard approach to acute burn pain management, a goal is for the hospitalized patient to be awake, alert, ...
Click the triangle below to listen to the podcast brief and access the transcript by clicking here.
MSKTC Radio · Memory and Moderate to Severe TBI
Memory and Traumatic Brain Injury
Memory problems are very common in people with moderate to severe TBI.
TBI can damage parts of the brain that handle learning and ...
Introduction
Wheelchair breakdowns can injure wheelchair users and limit mobility and social participation. Poor wheelchair maintenance increases the risk of wheelchair breakdowns and personal injury or death, and increases the costs of medical care. The number of users injured from wheelchair breakdowns doubled from 1991 to 2016.
According to a 2016 study, ...
What does the respiratory system do?
Your respiratory system (or pulmonary system) is responsible for breathing. This system enables you to inhale oxygen into your blood and exhale carbon dioxide. Your body needs the oxygen to survive, and carbon dioxide must be removed to avoid the build-up of acid in your ...
The pressure relief technique you use will depend on your level of injury, the type of wheelchair you use and how much movement and strength you have in your arms and shoulders.
Tilting or reclining
If you are unable to perform independent pressure reliefs, you can use a power tilt wheelchair for ...
What is a urinary tract infection?
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection in your urinary system. This system includes your kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.
What causes UTI?
The most common cause of UTI starts when bacteria enter the bladder through the urethra. The bacteria may multiply in the bladder to ...
If you have an SCI, adaptive sports and recreation may be key to your lifelong wellness. These activities may also help you to engage with your community.
Adjustment is how you adapt to or become used to changes in your life. CI affects almost every aspect of your life when it happens, and it can be hard to put your life back in order and adjust to living with SCI.
Staying healthy after having a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be hard. TBI can cause negative changes in your physical and mental health and change how you think and feel. These changes can make it hard to take care of yourself and to prevent or manage other health problems. This ...
What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common breathing disorder during sleep. With OSA, tissues in the back of the throat block the flow of air from the nose and mouth to the lungs. The blockage reduces the amount of oxygen getting into blood cells and to ...
Introduction
Being a parent can be one of the most rewarding experiences in a person’s life. It can also be one of the most challenging experiences. Parenting requires many skills, such as good communication, patience, attention to detail, and a good memory. Parents also need to be flexible and able to ...
What Is Temperature Sensitivity?
Many people deal with temperature sensitivity after a burn injury. Temperature sensitivity is a broad term that includes several issues. Some people may have issues when they touch warm or cool objects or liquids. Others may have challenges regulating their body temperature or tolerating extremes of temperatures ...
Background and Overview
This factsheet is intended for use by family caregivers of persons with DoC. This may include family members, partners, friends, or other caregivers. A person with DoC is not aware of their own self or surroundings. They can’t stay awake or interact with others. DoCs include coma, unresponsive ...
Musculoskeletal pain may be due to injury or overuse of muscles or arthritis of joints. It is a common problem for all people as they get older, including those with SCI. However, you can adjust your activity in different ways to help reduce or prevent musculoskeletal pain. These activity modifications ...