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North Dakota Brain Injury Network

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Related Services

When an individual sustains a brain injury, there are many therapies and treatments available to them.

At NDBIN, we want you to be aware of all the tools for your toolbox. Our knowledgeable staff can help you navigate these services and recommend which might be best for you, but here is some information about these services to help you learn more about them.

Alternative Treatments

Alternative treatments have proven effective for some individuals with brain injury. These treatments often are not research/science based but have been known to allow some to succeed in their goals following a brain injury. Always consult with your physician before trying something new.

  • Chiropractors/Functional Neurologists
    Chiropractors and functional neurologists specifically trained in brain injury can help survivors who have sustained a concussion or TBI by focusing on finding and rehabilitating the root cause of symptoms and imbalance that occurred within the brain and body following the trauma. For more information, check out this article:
  • Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
    Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is the use of oxygen at a high pressure level in a chamber designed for this use. The idea is that when trauma occurs, the brain swells and injured tissue does not receive enough oxygen, and this highly concentrated oxygen helps heal the injured tissue. Here is a good article on this therapy:
  • Dry Needling
    Dry needling can be used for pain management. It is a technique in which acupuncture needles are used to release muscle knots, neck tightness, and neck pain.
  • Aromatherapy/Essential Oils
    Some benefits from using aromatherapy/essential oils following a brain injury can be pain management, headache relief, wound healing, and memory stimulation. This article is from Craig Hospital in Denver, Colorado, some of the pioneers of brain injury treatment.
  • Yoga/Meditation
    There is a lot of research that shows the benefits of yoga and meditation following a brain injury. Kevin Pearce was featured in HBO's documentary The Crash Reel, and since his injury, he has started Love Your Brain. Love Your Brain has a wide variety of free meditation and yoga sessions available on its site.
  • Medical Marijuana
    Medical marijuana was approved for use in North Dakota for brain injuries in 2019. Some survivors find it beneficial for pain management.

Resources

Criminal Justice

The American criminal justice system has a large number of inmates with a history of brain injury. There are many contributing factors to this statistic, and we at NDBIN know that North Dakota can help reduce this number.

Ways NDBIN Can Help

  • Support groups – We can advertise and refer individuals to groups and provide or help find facilitators.
  • NDBIN can help support groups access Specialized Support Group Curriculum – These curriculums work on understanding the makeup of the brain, the injury, and the healing process through structured activities and information sharing.
  • A.H.E.A.D - Achieving Health through Education, Accountability and Determination: A Psycho-Education Curriculum for TBI can also be provided for you by NDBIN. This curriculum was designed by Colorado's Brain Injury Alliance for use within the criminal justice system.
  • The Substance Use and Brain Injury Group uses a curriculum designed for those who are in recovery from substance use and have a brain injury.
  • Resource facilitation – Call or email NDBIN, and we can help you find resources in your area that are appropriate for you.
  • Peer-to-Peer Mentoring involves pairing individuals with peer support specialist.

Resources

Homelessness

Often brain injury and homelessness work in tandem. Ninety percent of individuals with a brain injury report that their first injury was sustained prior to becoming homeless.

Individuals with a history of traumatic brain injury who also experience homelessness tend to struggle with:

  • Physical and mental health
  • Substance use
  • Suicidal ideation or attempts
  • Memory
  • Involvement in the criminal justice system

Resource

Intimate Partner Violence

Unfortunately, many individuals, women in particular, are overrepresented in the brain injury world due to interpersonal violence. If someone is hurting you, please get help! For more information on resources to help get you out of these unhealthy relationships, call (855) 866-1884 or email info@ndbin.org.

Resources

Mental Health

Oftentimes, individuals with a brain injury struggle with mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. There are many options for you to try to get a handle on these issues.

Resources

Music Therapy

Music therapy following a brain injury can be beneficial, especially in the areas of movement and language. Music therapy is much more than just turning on music and listening. Music therapists are specifically trained in cognitive strategies to help with a survivor's recovery.

Resources

Occupational Therapy

An occupational therapist (OT) can be greatly beneficial to the recovery of an individual with a brain injury. OTs make therapeutic use of everyday activities to help individuals develop, recover, improve, and maintain the skills needed for daily living and work.

Resources

Physical Therapy

A physical therapist (PT) can help improve conditions related to physical functionality of individuals' daily lives that may have been impacted by a brain injury.

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Speech Therapy

Many survivors tell us, “But I speak just fine!” when we recommend speech therapy services. Speech language pathologists provide services such as articulation for individuals who may not “speak just fine,” but they also have a whole wheelhouse of other strategies that can help with cognition, memory, sequencing, social skills, and the list goes on and on!

Resources

Substance Use

Substance use following brain injury can be a slippery slope. After individuals sustain injuries, their inhibitions become lowered, allowing them to be much more susceptible to using and, under certain circumstances, misusing substances.

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Vision Services

Following a brain injury, many survivors experience vision needs, and once these needs are met, survivors often report fewer negative side effects of their injury. Some studies show about 75% of traumatic brain injury survivors suffer from visual dysfunctions, from blurred vision to headaches.

Resources