What is Brain Injury?

“A non-degenerative injury to the brain that has occurred since birth. It can be caused by external physical force or by metabolic derangement. The term ‘Acquired Brain Injury’ includes traumatic brain injury, such as open or closed head injury, and non-traumatic brain injuries such as those caused by strokes and other vascular accidents, hypoxia, toxic substances taken into the body through inhalation or ingestion, and any invasive surgery or treatments for tumours. Currently the term does not include brain injuries that are congenital or produced by birth trauma.” – Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) as defined by the United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum (UKABIF).

In Oxfordshire, 4,000 people are admitted to hospital with a brain injury every year.

Causes of Brain Injury

An acquired brain injury (ABI) is a non-degenerative injury caused to the brain since birth. There are many possible causes of an ABI, including a stroke, haemorrhage, tumour or disease. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by trauma to the head that may produce a diminished or altered state of consciousness, which results in an impairment of cognitive abilities or physical functioning. Possible causes can be a road traffic accident, a fall or a blow to the head. The effects that result from either an Acquired or Traumatic brain injury can be similar.

Effects of Brain Injury

The brain can be injured in many ways, according to where in the brain the injury has taken place.

Brain injury is a complex condition. Symptoms can be varied and are sometimes difficult to identify and understand.  Headway Oxfordshire offer support to understand and discover how you can help your brain to recover or how you can learn strategies to deal with ongoing difficulties.

For more information and advice, please contact 01865 326263 or email admin@headway-oxford.org.uk.

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