CONCUSSIONS


Definition


Concussion is a temporary loss of normal brain function resulting from an impact to the head. Your brain is surrounded by spinal fluid which protects it from injury. However when you hit your head hard enough the brain may make contact with your skull causing it to bruise or break blood vessels.



Causes


Often Concussions are caused by falling, car accidents, or violence.

Symptoms


Concussions are not always easy to recognize and often people continue on with their activities without recognizing the dangers. In some instances a concussion can lead to serious brain injury if the brain has not healed properly. Repeated injury to the brain can cause swelling, long term disability, or even die. Therefore it is important to understand the symptoms and act accordingly.

Symptoms may include:

    • • Loss of consciousness after any trauma to the head
    • • Confusion
    • • Headache
    • • Nausea or Vomiting
    • • Blurred Vision
    • • Slurred Speech
    • • Difficulty in Balancing when doing simple tasks such as walking
• Loss of short-term memory(you may not remember the actual injury and the events some time before or after the impact)
  • • Feeling overly tired

What to do When You Think You or Someone You Know Has a Concussion


Take it easy and do not regain participation in the activity until your symptoms disappear. It is really important that you give your brain time to heal.


Seek Emergency Care If the Person has the Following Symptoms


  • • Severe head trauma, i.e., a fall from more than the height of the person or a hard fall onto a hard surface or object with resulting
    bleeding or laceration.
  • • Any child that loses consciousness as the result of a head injury.
    • • Prolonged loss of consciousness (longer than two minutes)
    • • Any delayed loss of consciousness (for example, the injured person is knocked out only momentarily, then is awake and talking,
      then loses consciousness again)
    • • Vomiting more than once
    • • Confusion that does not go away quickly
    • • Extreme drowsiness, weakness, or inability to walk
    • • Severe Headache Loss of memory of the event (amnesia)
    • • Perseverating (saying the same thing over and over)
    • • Someone who takes Warfin (Coumadin - blood thinner) for a medical problem suffers and suffers a significant blow to the head.
    • • If the person fails to regain consciousness after two minutes, or the injury is very severe even if two minutes have not passed, DO NOT
      move the person. Prevent movement of the neck, which may cause spinal injuries. If the person needs to vomit, carefully roll the
      person onto his or her side without turning the head. Call 911 immediately for help. 


How do You Prevent Concussions


By wearing safety equipment specifically Helmets your concussion risk will be reduced by over 50%.