How to Recognize a Concussion
Most of us have hit our head once or twice, a few of us may have even been concussed without knowing. If promptly diagnosed, treatment can greatly reduce long-term effects and quickly get you back to full function. According to a 2011 study, 15% of all high school injuries were due to concussions, and these were just the concussions that were detected and treated. How many of us are still struggling to recover from a concussion they never knew they got? There are varying severities of concussions, sometimes making the their symptoms difficult to recognize.
Concussions are caused by trauma to the head. The skull and cerebrospinal fluid act as an insulator to protect the brain, but when enough force is generated, the brain will collide with the skull and begin to swell, bruise and possibly bleed.
Symptoms of a concussion may have a sudden onset, or they may even be delayed for days or weeks. Common signs include:
Dizziness
Vomiting
Loss of Consciousness
Memory Loss Before or After the Incident
Difficulty Concentrating
Depending on the severity and location of the concussion, one might even experience the following symptoms:
Increased Irritability
Experience Personality Changes
Heightened Sensitivity to Light and Noise
Sleep Disturbances
Depression
If you or someone you know may be experiencing some of these symptoms after a head injury, let us know! Advanced diagnostic tests allow us to definitively determine whether or not it's a concussion. Then leading-edge therapies help the body and brain heal.
To read about what NOT to do when you get a concussion, as well as the best ways to recover from a concussion, read our other concussion blog post: What Not to Do When You Get a Concussion.
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