Concussion
Overview
A concussion is a traumatic
brain injury that affects your brain function. Effects are usually temporary
but can include headaches and problems with concentration, memory, balance and
coordination.
Concussions are usually
caused by a blow to the head. Violently shaking of the head and upper body also
can cause concussions.
Some concussions cause you
to lose consciousness, but most do not.
Falls are the most common
cause of concussion. Concussions are also common if you play a contact sport,
such as football or soccer. Most people usually recover fully after a
concussion.
Physical signs and symptoms
of a concussion may include:
Headache
Ringing in the ears
Nausea
Vomiting
Fatigue or drowsiness
Blurry vision
Other signs and symptoms of
a concussion include:
Confusion or feeling as if
in a fog
Amnesia surrounding the
traumatic event
Dizziness or "seeing
stars"
A witness may observe these
signs and symptoms in the concussed person:
Temporary loss of
consciousness (though this doesn't always occur)
Slurred speech
Delayed response to
questions
Dazed appearance
Forgetfulness, such as
repeatedly asking the same question
You may have some symptoms
of concussions immediately, and some can occur for days after the injury, such
as:
Concentration and memory
complaints
Irritability and other
personality changes
Sensitivity to light and
noise
Sleep disturbances
Psychological adjustment
problems and depression
Disorders of taste and smell
Symptoms in children
Head trauma is very common
in young children. But concussions can be difficult to recognize in infants and
toddlers because they can't describe how they feel. Concussion clues may
include:
Dazed appearance
Listlessness and tiring
easily
Irritability and crankiness
Loss of balance and unsteady
walking
Excessive crying
Change in eating or sleeping
patterns
Lack of interest in favorite
toys
Vomiting
Seizures
When to see a doctor
See a doctor within 1 to 2
days if:
You or your child
experiences a head injury, even if emergency care isn't required
If your child doesn't have
signs of a serious head injury, remains alert, moves normally and responds to
you, the injury is probably mild and usually doesn't need further testing.
In this case, if your child
wants to nap, it's OK to let him or her sleep. If worrisome signs develop
later, seek emergency care.
Seek emergency care for an
adult or child who experiences a head injury and signs and symptoms such as:
Repeated vomiting or nausea
A loss of consciousness
lasting longer than 30 seconds
A headache that gets worse
over time
Fluid or blood draining from
the nose or ears
Vision or eye disturbances,
such as pupils that are bigger than normal (dilated pupils) or pupils of
unequal sizes
Ringing in the ears that
doesn't go away
Weakness in the arms or legs
Appearing very pale for
longer than an hour
Changes in behavior
Confusion or disorientation,
such as difficulty recognizing people or places
Slurred speech or other
changes in speech
Obvious difficulty with
mental function or physical coordination
Changes in physical
coordination, such as stumbling or clumsiness
Seizures or convulsions
Lasting or recurrent
dizziness
Symptoms that worsen over
time
Large head bumps or bruises
on areas other than the forehead in children, especially in infants under 12
months of age
Athletes
Never return to play or
vigorous activity while signs or symptoms of a concussion are present.
Experts recommend that an
athlete with a suspected concussion not return to activities that are
associated with a higher risk of another concussion while still showing
concussion symptoms.
Children and adolescents
should be evaluated by a health care professional trained in evaluating and
managing pediatric concussions.
Experts also recommend that
adult, child and adolescent athletes with concussions not return to play on the
same day as the injury.
Causes
Damage in different areas of
the brain based on injury type
Your brain has the
consistency of gelatin. It's cushioned from everyday jolts and bumps by
cerebrospinal fluid inside your skull.
A violent blow to your head
and neck or upper body can cause your brain to slide back and forth forcefully
against the inner walls of your skull.
Sudden acceleration or
deceleration of the head, caused by events such as a car crash or being
violently shaken, also can cause brain injury.
These injuries affect brain
function, usually for a brief period, resulting in signs and symptoms of
concussion.
This type of brain injury
may lead to bleeding in or around your brain, causing symptoms such as
prolonged drowsiness and confusion. These symptoms may develop immediately or
later.
Such bleeding in your brain
can be fatal. That's why anyone who experiences a brain injury needs monitoring
in the hours afterward and emergency care if symptoms worsen.
Risk factors
Activities and factors that
may increase your risk of a concussion include:
Falling, especially in young
children and older adults
Participating in a high-risk
sport, such as football, hockey, soccer, rugby, boxing or other contact sport
Participating in high-risk
sports without proper safety equipment and supervision
Being involved in a motor
vehicle collision
Being involved in a pedestrian
or bicycle accident
Being a soldier involved in
combat
Being a victim of physical
abuse
Having had a previous
concussion
Complications
Potential complications of
concussion include:
Post-traumatic headaches.
Some people experience concussion-related headaches up to seven days after a
brain injury.
Post-traumatic vertigo. Some
people experience a sense of spinning or dizziness for days, weeks or months
after a brain injury.
Persistent post-concussive
symptoms (post-concussive syndrome). A small proportion of people (15% to 20%)
may have symptoms including headaches, dizziness and thinking difficulties that
persist beyond three weeks. If these symptoms persist beyond three months, this
becomes characterized as persistent post-concussive symptoms.
Cumulative effects of
multiple brain injuries. Active research is currently underway to study the
effects of repeated head injuries that don't cause symptoms (subconcussive
injury). At this time, there's no conclusive evidence indicating that repeated
brain injuries contribute to cumulative effects.
Second impact syndrome.
Rarely, experiencing a second concussion before signs and symptoms of a first
concussion have resolved may result in rapid and usually fatal brain swelling.
It's important for athletes
never to return to sports while they're still experiencing signs and symptoms
of concussion.
Prevention
Some tips that may help you
to prevent or minimize your risk of head injury include:
Wearing protective gear
during sports and other recreational activities. Make sure the equipment fits
properly, is well maintained and is worn correctly. Follow the rules of the
game and practice good sportsmanship.
When bicycling,
motorcycling, snowboarding or engaging in any recreational activity that may result
in head injury, wear protective headgear.
Buckling your seat belt.
Wearing a seat belt may prevent serious injury, including head injury, during a
traffic accident.
Making your home safe. Keep
your home well lit and your floors free of anything that might cause you to
trip and fall. Falls around the home are a leading cause of head injury.
Protecting your children. To
help lessen the risk of head injuries to your children, block off stairways and
install window guards.
Exercising regularly.
Exercise regularly to strengthen your leg muscles and improve your balance.
Educating others about
concussions. Educating coaches, athletes, parents and others about concussions
can help spread awareness. Coaches and parents can also help encourage good
sportsmanship.
Jan Ricks Jennings, MHA,
LFACHE
Senior Consultant
Senior Management
Resources, LLC
JanJenningsBlog.Blogspot.com
412.913.0636 Cell
724.733.0509 Office
March 9, 2022
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