Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

A Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) refers to damage to the brain from an outside force and sudden impact to the head. It can be caused from a bump or jolt to the head and body (known as a blunt TBI) or by an object that goes through one’s skull and into the brain (known as a penetrating TBI).

TBIs can be mild, moderate, or severe. Some TBIs can cause immediate signs or symptoms after the traumatic event, while others may appear days/weeks later. 

TBI-related symptoms often arise from disruptions in communication in and between brain networks. TMS helps re-engage these circuits and support overall neurorehabilitative recovery, such as focus, energy, and cognition¹ ² ³ ⁴.

1. Aleid, A. M., AlShammri, M. S., Aldanyowi, S. N., Alessa, A. A., Alhussain, A. A., & Al Mutair, A. (2025). Use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in traumatic brain injury: A systematic review and meta‑analysis of randomized controlled trials. Surgical Neurology International, 16(175). https://doi.org/10.25259/SNI_926_2024

2. Mollica, A., Greben, R., Oriuwa, C., Siddiqi, S. H., & Burke, M. J. (2022). Neuromodulation treatments for mild traumatic brain injury and post-concussive symptoms. Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports, 22(3), 171–181. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-022-01183-w

3. Mollica, A., Safavifar, F., Fralick, M., Giacobbe, P., Lipsman, N., & Burke, M. J. (2021). Transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of concussion: A systematic review. Neuromodulation, 24(5), 803–812. https://doi.org/10.1111/ner.13319

4. Leung, A. Y., Metzger‑Smith, V., He, Y., Cordero, J., Ehlert, B., Song, D., Lin, L., Shahrokh, G., Tsai, A., Vaninetti, M., Rutledge, T., Polston, G., Sheu, R., & Lee, R. (2018). Left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex rTMS in alleviating MTBI‑related headaches and depressive symptoms. Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface, 21(4), 390–401. https://doi.org/10.1111/ner.12615

Common mild TBI symptoms include:

  • Headache

  • Confusion or memory loss

  • Sleeping less or more than usual

  • Dizziness or loss of balance

  • Nausea or vomiting

Some common moderate or severe TBI symptoms may include:

  • Loss of consciousness

  • Hearing or vision issues

  • Aggression

  • Trouble communicating

  • Post-TBI depression