Recovery and Rehabilitation
Each patient responds differently to rehabilitation, because each TBI is unique. While some patients treated in the polytrauma programs are able to return to active duty or return to work, others will continue to need more intense supportive services and care.
After a traumatic brain injury (TBI), the body often begins a remarkable repair process. Unlike the skin, the brain does not heal by forming new cells. Instead, existing cells will change to make up for the lost cells. In most cases, brain swelling subsides within a few weeks and the pressure inside the skull stabilizes. This is the time when recovery is most rapid. The brain's chemical balance returns to normal within several months. And while the damaged connections between nerve cells will not grow back, research has shown that some new connections may develop between these cells over an extended period of time.
