Last Updated: March 10, 2025
Every year, at least 2.8 million Americans sustain brain injuries. On average, from 2019 to 2023, there were over 5,000 hospitalizations and almost 2,000 deaths among Virginians each year related to traumatic brain injury. Brain injuries affect each person differently.
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. The Virginia Department of Health is joining others to raise awareness about this condition. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury that affects how the brain works. It may be caused by a:
- Bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or
- Penetrating injury.
Other brain injuries are called non-traumatic brain injuries. They cause damage to the brain from issues going on inside of the body, such as
- Lack of oxygen to the brain (near drowning, drug overdose)
- Exposure to toxins
- Certain infectious diseases, or
- Other brain and heart conditions, such as stroke, tumors, and aneurysms.
While many people make a full recovery, there are many people in the U.S. living with a permanent brain injury.
To learn more about brain injury:
- Visit the Brain Injury Association of Virginia.
- Call the Brain Injury Association National Help Line: 1-800-444-6443.
- Visit CDC Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion .
- Visit VDH Injury and Violence Prevention Program.
To learn more about TBI data in Virginia:
- Visit the VDH Injury and Violence Dashboard web page.