What is a Concussion?
Traumatic brain injuries are some of the most dangerous injuries there is out there, especially if you take into account how many of them lead to injury deaths. Traumatic brain injuries occur when one suffers a violent blow to the head, and the fact that they involve the brain just goes to underline probably why they are usually taken as seriously as they are. Concussions are the most common of all the traumatic brain injuries but, luckily, also the least serious of them all. Concussions are usually due to a sudden direct blow to the head which can be due to one taking part in a number of activities. Such activities include one taking part in contact sports such as football and soccer among others. One can also suffer a concussion through falls, accidents such as car accidents, through fights or through work related blows to the head. The symptoms that one experiences when they suffer a concussion are usually due to the fact that the blow to the head jolts the brain and causes it to move around a bit. The impact may also lead to bruising, damage and injury of nerves and blood vessels in the brain, causing the brain not to function like it normally should. Given how serious concussions can get, it is important to know everything about them and that is what this article will focus aim to do.
The first thing we are going to take a look at as far as concussions are concerned is how one can tell if they have a concussion. There are a number of signs and symptoms to look out for that may indicate that one has a concussion. As far as signs are concerned, some of the red flags to look out for include in someone who has a suspected concussion include the following: one appears dazed or stunned, develops decreased capacity to process information, is unable to recall leading up to and after the hit or fall, begins to move clumsily, loses consciousness which should always be taken seriously, becomes to forget things like instructions easily, appears confused when given even a simple task or even begins to exhibit mood, personality or behavior change. As far as symptoms of concussion, as is covered in detail over at frontlineer.com, they include headache, loss of balance, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light or noise, problems with vision such as blurred vision or double vision, slurred speech, inability to concentrate, ringing in the ears as well as memory issues. A combination of these signs and symptoms should be indicative that someone has a concussion and should have it treated.
The next thing we are going to look at as far as concussions are concerned are the different types of concussions there are. As we all know, not all concussions are created equal as they come in different types depending on their severity. There are three types of concussions, mild or grade one, moderate or grade two and severe or grade three. To differentiate between the three types, we take a look at the symptoms as well as how long they last. For instance, when it comes to grade one or mild concussions, there is no loss of consciousness for starters and symptoms last for less than 15 minutes only. When it comes to moderate or grade two concussions, there is also no loss of consciousness, however, symptoms do last for more than 15 minutes, as is covered in detail over at frontlineer.com by the subject matter experts over there. For grade three or severe concussions, there has to be loss of consciousness even if it is juts momentary, for a few seconds. This should always be taken seriously, for obvious reasons.
Next up, we shall take a look at how one should proceed if they establish they have a concussion. How one proceeds, is dictated by the seriousness of the concussion they have suffered, that is, whether it is mild, moderate or severe. The folks over at frontlineer.com recommend that you should always head over to a medical center to be evaluated for a concussion so that they can diagnose conclusively how serious the concussion is. It is recommended that for folks with grade one or two concussions, they should rest and stay away from their normal activities until the symptoms have gone away, a period that could last anything between several minutes to up to a week. Those with a grade three concussion should seek medical attention as soon as possible to be evaluated and treated. Other warning signs to go with signs of concussion that should ensure one heads to an emergency room as soon as possible include cases where one pupil is larger than the other, a headache that appears to get worse and doesn’t go away, repeated and severe vomiting and nausea, convulsions and seizures or those folks who have had multiple concussions in the past.
The above are some of the things to keep in mind as far as concussions are concerned, with more on this and other topics to be found over at the ever reliable frontlineer.com, so ensure you check them out.
