All kinds of head injuries can cause brain damage. In especially severe cases, posttraumatic encephalopathy develops. Despite the fact that this pathology is not included in the group of chronic diseases, it can pose a serious threat to normal human life.
What is post-traumatic brain encephalopathy
This is a condition in which serious consequences of brain trauma are observed for at least one year. Neurological disorders in this form of encephalopathy include mental, mental, vestibular disorders, epileptic seizures, paresis. And this is not a complete list of possible manifestations.
Code of posttraumatic encephalopathy for the ICD and severity of the disease
According to the ICD-10, this disease is in most cases encoded under the code T90.5, which means "the consequences of intracranial injury".In some cases, the cipher G93.8 - "other specified brain diseases" is used.
If there is posttraumatic hydrocephalus, then it is coded under the G91 cipher.
Allocate such degrees of severity of pathology:
- I degree. It is characterized by certain changes in the brain tissue. Although there are no external signs of the disease, it can be identified through the use of instrumental research methods.
- II degree. At this stage, the disturbances in the brain are rather weakly expressed, they have a latent and episodic character. Usually for this stage of the development of the disease neuropsychiatric disorders are characteristic. These can be sleep disorders, memory impairment, attention disorders, depression, high fatigue, emotional instability.
- III degree. There are clearly pronounced neurological disorders. Possible manifestations include ataxia, dementia, parkinsonism and other serious disorders of the nervous system.
There are several types of encephalopathies, one of the most dangerous is considered to be acute alcoholic encephalopathy. Its cunning lies in the fact that it develops quickly enough and leads to negative consequences.
For its treatment, doctors often use drops from alcoholism "Kolme".All about this preparation you will find here.
Causes of the disease
Of course, the main reason for the development of this pathology is to get a brain injury.
In this case, the mechanism of the development of pathology includes several stages:
- At the time of injury, nerve tissue is damaged. Most often this is characteristic of the temporal and frontal lobes of the brain.
- As a result of the development of cerebral edema, its blood supply is disturbed.
- Because the cerebral ventricles are compressed, there is a disruption of the circulation of the CSF.
- Since the nerve cells do not recover, they are replaced by a connective tissue, resulting in spikes and scars.
- Because of the malfunction of the immune system, nerve cells are perceived as an alien object.
Symptoms and signs of the disease
The appearance of signs and their severity is influenced by the location of the lesion and its size. If there are diffuse changes, more pronounced symptoms are observed.
As a rule, the symptoms of the pathological condition appear some time after the injury - within one to two weeks.
Typically, for post-traumatic encephalopathy, this set of symptoms is typical:
- Persistent headaches that are not eliminated with conventional analgesics. This is due to the fact that there is a violation of lymph flow.
- The appearance of an astheno-neurotic syndrome, which is caused by the depletion of the nervous system.
- Dizziness, which is most often observed during physical activity.
- Nystagmus - this term refers to the rapid jerking of the pupils.
- Sleep disorders. People with this disease are characterized by intermittent sleep or insomnia. Taking sleeping pills only aggravates their condition.
- Depression, which is associated with awareness of helplessness.
- Attention violation. This state is manifested in the commission of meaningless actions or inconsistency of actions.
- Emotional lability. This condition is characterized by a violation of control over one's own behavior. There may be aggression and hostility to other people. Attacks of epilepsy. They are associated with the fact that some parts of the brain are damaged and foci of pathological activity appear.
- Memory and intellectual impairment. As a rule, it is observed in people engaged in mental activity.
Diagnosis of the disease
In the detection of posttraumatic encephalopathy, an important role is played by the study of the anamnesis - in particular, information about the injury, its location, severity.
The doctor may also order additional tests. These include:
- Magnetic resonance and computed tomography. With the help of these techniques it is possible to establish signs of diffuse brain atrophy, in particular:
- Electroencephalography makes it possible to identify the disorganization of the main rhythms. Also, the symptoms of epileptic activity and the appearance of pathologically slow waves are established.
- deepening of the brain sulci;
- expansion of the cerebral ventricles;
- expansion of the subarachnoid space.
Methods of treatment
In order to treat posttraumatic encephalopathy, a whole range of measures is performed.
The main objectives are as follows:
- Neuroprotection, which is to protect the nerve cells from adverse effects.
- Normalization of blood circulation.
- Recovery of cognitive abilities.
- Normalization of metabolic processes in brain cells.
Conservative treatment of
Symptomatic therapy plays an important role. It is very relevant in the case of the development of hydrocephalus syndrome. In this case, specific medications are used that can remove cerebral edema, a glycerol mixture, diacarb.
Complex therapy is carried out by courses, the frequency of repetition of which is affected by the severity of the disease. As a rule, the treatment is repeated once or twice a year.
As drugs for neuroprotection apply:
- actovegin;
- gliatilin;
- mexidol.
Nootropic therapy involves the use of the following:
- a group of ratsetam( usually prescribed piracetam);
- pantogam( especially relevant for the development of symptomatic epilepsy);
- phenotropil.
Means that reduce intracranial pressure may be prescribed. However, this is only shown to patients who have hypertension.
In addition to standard drug therapy, other procedures can also be used:
- therapeutic physical culture;
- massage;
- breathing exercises;
- acupuncture;
- meditation.
At least a couple of times a week is worth visiting a psychologist and every day to devote time to neuropsychological training. During the recovery period, you should eat right, walk on foot, perform moderate exercise.
Concomitant encephalopathy dizziness is successfully treated with tablets against dizziness. Read more about the drugs used in the article.
In especially severe cases, post-traumatic encephalopathy can develop a brain tumor - meningioma. Causes, symptoms and methods of treatment can be found here.
All about the treatment of spasm of cerebral vessels http: //gidmed.com/ bolezni-nevrologii / sosudistye-zabolevanija-mozga / spazm-sosudov-golovnogo-mozga.html.
Surgical treatment
Surgical treatment has limited application. During the operation, additional damage to brain tissue occurs. Intervention is performed only when the danger of the operation is lower than the rejection of it.
In posttraumatic encephalopathy, surgery is performed to restore blood circulation in the brain.
Treatment at home
Folk methods of treatment can act as an auxiliary therapy, and they can be used only after agreement with the attending physician.
- To clean the blood vessels of the brain and improve blood circulation, you need to prepare a special balm. To do this, make three tinctures:
- from the Caucasian Dioscorea: add 50 liters of alcohol to 0.5 liters of alcohol, leave for 2 weeks;
- from propolis: grind 100 g soft propolis, add 1 liter of alcohol, close and clean for ten days;
- from clover red: to 40 g of flowers of this plant add 0.5 liters of alcohol, to insist 2 weeks.
After infusion in a dark place, all the components must be filtered, then mix them in equal amounts and shake. Drink on a teaspoon. Do this three times a day, diluting in 50 ml of water. Balm is taken after eating 2 months. Then it should be for 2 weeks to take a break and conduct a new course.
- To improve blood circulation and make the vessels not so permeable, you should consume the fruits of hawthorn. Fresh berries are also useful, and dried. From dried fruits prepare this infusion: to 2 tablespoons of berries add 2 cups of boiling water and leave for the night. Drink in 3 divided doses during the day. It's better to do this before eating, somewhere in 20 minutes.
- Good berry helps. On a liter of boiling water you need to take 4 tablespoons of dried berries. It is possible to replace tea with its fruits.
Prognosis and consequences of the disease
Forecasts can be given one year after the injury. During this period, it is very important to carry out all available activities aimed at rehabilitation of the patient.
The remaining defects are difficult to correct, but do not despair. There are cases when, five years after the damage, rehabilitation measures brought certain fruits.
The intellectual disorders that accompany the development of this pathology often lead to the fact that a person is not able to perform labor duties, and therefore he is given a disability.
Prevention of
The main prevention measure of post-traumatic encephalopathy is to prevent craniocereberal trauma. At the first signs of the disease you need to see a doctor - this will prevent further progression of the pathology.
It is very important to abandon foods with high cholesterol content, easily digestible fats. To improve the blood circulation of the brain, you need to do neck massage.
Post-traumatic encephalopathy is an extremely serious pathology of the brain, which can be identified only by a qualified specialist. To achieve the most positive result, it is very important to take into account all the medical recommendations.
Video shows what happens to the brain during an injury, how complications develop and progress, including post-traumatic encephalopathy:
https: //www.youtube.com/ watch? V = yMRt8xSiH2k