About Acquired Brain Injury
An Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is an injury caused to the brain since birth. There are many possible causes, including a fall, a road accident, tumour and stroke.
Causes
Acquired brain injuries can come about as a result of many things, below we have listed some of the more common:
- Head injury, e.g. through road traffic accidents, falls and assaults
- Stroke
- Tumour
- Aneurysm
- Hypoxia or anoxia (too little oxygen)
- Toxic damage
- Virus or infection (e.g. meningitis and encephalitis)
- Neurological disease
Effects
The brain controls everything that we do, which means damage to the brain can have a wide range of effects and it is important to remember that every brain injury is different.
The effects of brain injury are commonly grouped into three main areas. These are:
- Physical — affecting how the body works
- Cognitive — affecting how the person thinks, learns and remembers
- Emotional and behavioural — affecting how the person thinks, feels and acts
How many people are affected by brain injury?
National estimates suggest that over 1 million people a year attend A&E as a result of a head injury. This figure does not include other acquired brain injuries such as strokes or tumours. If we include the other injuries then the number is easily double that and more.
To find out more
Headway Plymouth are the local specialists in acquired brain injury and we offer a range of resources and learning opportunities for anyone who would like to learn more about understanding and living with brain injury. For more information about our training opportunities, please email [email protected]
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Get Help
Suffering from a head injury or support someone that has a head injury? Then contact us today, we can help you and your loved one recover to the best of their ability and share the journey.
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Get Involved
Looking to volunteer for a forward thinking and vital charity? Then look no further, Headway Plymouth is looking for motivated and caring individuals to help those requiring support from acquired brain injury.
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Donate
Headway Plymouth relies on generous donations from members of the public and private businesses to deliver leading head injury support across the South West. Contact us today to find out more or donate.
01752 550559
Call our Plymouth Centre
[email protected]
Email the Headway team direct.
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Contact Details
01752 550559
Headway House, Park Avenue, Devonport, Plymouth, PL1 4RJ
Headway Plymouth is affiliated to Headway UK the national brain injury charity.
Registered Charity number 1150786
Registered Company number 8101252
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