Yes You Can - Fourth Edition - 176

problems usually improve. If you can remember the accident, chances are your brain was not injured severely. Many of the memory problems people notice after a brain injury are not caused by bruising; instead, they come from poor concentration and being tired. To remember something, you have to pay attention to it in the ﬁrst place. If you don’t concentrate long enough, the information is never stored in your memory. Concentration problems are a normal part of recovering from a brain injury. You’ll probably be able to concentrate and remember better when you get enough rest. Memory problems can be a sign that you’re pushing yourself too hard. Writing things down or using a pocket tape recorder are excellent ways of coping with temporary memory problems. Doing these things will help recovery, not slow it down. Of course, no one’s memory is perfect anyway. People sometimes forget that they had trouble remembering things even before the accident. Some of the symptoms you notice may have nothing to do with your brain injury. Don’t make too much out of forgetting things occasionally. Headaches Occasionally, headaches are caused by serious medical problems. Because a headache can indicate a serious complication after brain injury or a medical complication like autonomic dysreﬂexia, be sure to discuss it with your health care provider. On the other hand, headaches are very common during the recovery process after a brain injury and usually do not indicate a serious problem. Headaches are another cause of irritability and concentration problems after a brain injury. One of the most common causes of headaches after a brain injury is stress or tension. This may be the cause if the headaches start several weeks after the injury. These headaches might mean that you’re trying to do too much. They’ll probably disappear if you take breaks and relax. Stress and worry cause tension headaches—the muscles in your neck or forehead become tense and can stay tight without your realizing it. And once a headache starts, they can get even tighter, because muscles automatically tense in reaction to pain. This makes the headache worse. If you have tension headaches, you’ll need to learn ways to relax and reduce your stress. It might be helpful for you to learn meditation, relaxation techniques, or better ways to manage stress. Dizziness, visual problems, and light sensitivity Have your health-care provider check these symptoms. They usually go away by themselves within three to six months—and sometimes sooner. If you ﬁnd them troublesome, talk to your provider about appropriate treatment. SCI Rehabilitation with a Brain Injury If you’ve had a moderate or severe brain injury, you may need to take part in a brain rehabilitation program before you can fully participate in a rehabilitation program for your SCI. SCI rehabilitation can be challenging after brain injury, because you need to learn so much new information. Also, fatigue from your brain injury may keep you from getting the most out of therapy sessions. When you start your SCI rehabilitation, let your therapists know if you’re having any trouble remembering information or learning new skills. They can repeat information more often and write down important points for you to remember. You might also ﬁnd that you get tired easily or are easily frustrated. If so, you might need to move through your rehabilitation at a slower pace. Let your therapists know if you need to take a break or schedule shorter appointments at ﬁrst. Also, let people know when you’re starting to feel frustrated, and try some of the suggestions above for dealing with irritability. It’s important for you [ 176 ] | Yes, You Can!

Yes You Can - Fourth Edition

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Yes You Can - Fourth Edition