Concussions Are Glad to Be Taken More Seriously

 With Aaron Rodgers out this week with a concussion, I’ve been talking about this topic a little more.  Then, today I received an email to participate in a concussion study at the University of Illinois (I’m posting a link below- if you have had a concussion consider filling it out- they are also giving away an ipod shuffle and ipad).  Why are we only somewhat recently hearing about concussions as being more serious injuries?  If you get hit in the head enough times, it would make sense that you might develop a few problems.  What most people don’t realize is that concussions are brain injuries.  In fact another term for concussion is mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI).  Like all brain injuries, they are unpredictable, meaning the course or progression of healing is different in each case.  Sometimes symptoms only last for a few hours, but sometimes and depending on severity, they can be long lasting disabilities.  A term for lasting symptoms of a concussion is called post-concussion syndrome, in which symptoms do not go away quickly or at all. 

Most of us think about football players or veterans who have suffered from a concussion or brain injury.  But the types of individuals that I have also seen in physical therapy are those involved in car accidents, a slip on the ice, being hit on the head, or someone who has fallen, many times the elderly.  Many times the reason they were referred to a physical therapist was for neck pain or dizziness.  Sometimes these individuals have not been diagnosed with concussion or post-concussive syndrome and it’s only until I ask them about whether they have the other symptoms of concussion or MTBI that they even realize that these problems are all connected to a brain injury.  Unfortunately there is no cure for brain injury or concussion, only prevention and education and awareness in recognizing a brain injury.  It is important to seek medical attention to be sure the brain injury isn’t more serious or worsening.

Symptoms of concussion or MTBI:^[i]

1. headaches
2. confusion
3. difficulty reading
4. memory deficits
5. neck pain
6. nausea and vomiting
7. dizziness
8. personality or mood changes

Here is a nice link to an article about what concussions and mild traumatic brain injuries are.

Here is a video of someone who has post-concussion syndrome as he describes what it feels like:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reMBWnFU60A

Adolescent Concussion: 1 Prep Football Season 1,800 hits to the head

 If you think you might have had a concussion or MTBI, be SURE to seek medical attention from your doctor.

Illinois Study if you would like to participate and have had a concussion before.

Thanks to  kedoink kedondeng on Flickr for the picture.

1. Umphred DA. (2007). Neurological Rehabilitation, 5th ed. Mosby: St. Louis. [↩]