Elevate Community Conversations hosting event on 'The Invisible Injury'

SIDNEY -- Elevate Community Conversations will be hosting a public event on the impact of traumatic brain injuries.

Elevate Community Conversations will be hosting a public meeting 6 p.m. February 22 at the Sidney High School Performing Arts Center to discuss TBIs. Featured speakers will be from the Nebraska Brain Injury Alliance. The event is free and open to the public.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) as "an injury that affects how the brain works. It may be caused by a: bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or penetrating injury (such as from a gunshot) to the head."

The CDC defines TBIs in three levels: mild, moderate and severe. The CDC also states there were more than 64,000 TBI-related deaths in the United States in 2020. That’s about 176 TBI-related deaths every day. 

Falls account for almost half of recorded TBIs, according to a release by Elevate Community Conversations. People older than 65 and younger than 17 experience the most fall-related TBIs. Other causes include: domestic violence and assaults; gunshot wounds, including suicide attempts; motor vehicle accidents; and sports, recreational, work or military injuries.

Signs of a TBI include: behavior or mood change, confusion or memory problem, convulsions or seizures, dilated pupils or blurred vision, dizziness, fainting or fatigue, headaches, nausea and vomiting, restlessness or agitation, sensitivity to light and smell, sleeping too much or too little and slurred speech.