Concussion
Concussions
Sometimes called a mild traumatic brain injury, a concussion is caused by a blow or jolt to the head. The injury keeps the head from working normally. Symptoms of a concussion may last for less than a day or linger for months.
At the Center for Brain and Neuro Care, we focus on assessment, diagnosis, and in-depth treatment to ensure your best recovery. We are committed to evaluating and managing concussed patients using a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach dedicated to patients’ fast recovery.
We offer follow-up care until your full recovery and perform evaluations to assess when it is safe for you to return to work, school, or sports.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a possible concussion may occur right away. But some may not start for weeks or even months after the injury. They include:
+ Headache
+ Vomiting or nausea
+ Trouble thinking normally
+ Memory problems
+ Trouble walking
+ Dizziness
+ Vision problems
+ Fatigue
+ Mood changes
+ Changes in sleep patterns
Diagnosis
To diagnose a concussion, we will assess your cognitive functioning. Since a concussion can affect memory, reaction time, and brain processing speed, we will ask you a variety of questions.
Be sure to let us know if you lost consciousness and report any other symptoms. We will want to know how the injury occurred and where you hit your head. We may ask questions to test your memory and ask you to do certain tasks to show how well your brain is functioning. We may also ask your friends or family questions about your symptoms and the injury.
We may take images of your brain using CT or MRI scans to evaluate your injury.
Treatment
Medical treatment will address symptoms such as headache, confusion, fatigue, dizziness, and problems with sleeping.
An important part of treatment for a concussion is getting plenty of rest, both sleep at night and naps or rest breaks during the day if needed.
We may tell you to avoid certain physical activities and sports while you recover and may suggest medicine to take if you have a headache.
If your symptoms don’t go away in a few days or if they get worse, be sure to let us know.
Prevention
Many patients need emergency treatment for a concussion because of falls, motor vehicle accidents, assaults, and sports injuries. Children, young adults, and older adults are at especially high risk and may take longer to recover.
Millions of these traumatic brain injuries occur in the United States each year, but most don’t require a visit to the hospital. People who have had concussions before are more likely to have them again.
You can take several steps to help reduce your risk for a concussion or prevent it in your children:
+ Wear a seat belt every time you’re in a motor vehicle.
+ Make sure your children use the proper safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt.
+ Never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
+ Wear a helmet for activities such as riding a bicycle or motorcycle, playing contact sports, skiing, horseback riding, and snowboarding.
Reduce your risk for falls by eliminating clutter in your home, removing slippery area rugs, and installing grab bars in the bathroom if needed, especially for older adults.
Managing Concussions
Follow our directions about avoiding sports, physical education classes, and activities such as running and bicycling while you are recovering.
You should limit activities that require you to concentrate heavily. This includes taking tests if you are in school or doing tasks at work that require intense focus.
You may also need to take rest breaks during the day. As your symptoms go away, you may be able to go back to your normal activities.
You need to let us know if you have symptoms or problems that last more than three months. You may have a problem called post-concussion syndrome.