Concussions

 

Intro	Recovery
Symptoms & Early Medical Attention	Prevention
Exam & Treatment

A soccer player bumps into his teammate and falls hard, hitting his head on the ground. He complains of a feeling dizzy and having a bad headache. Could this athlete have a concussion? Sometimes it's hard to know if you (or someone you see get hurt) might have a concussion because the symptoms can vary quite a lot. Also, the length of time someone has symptoms can also differ a lot from one person to the next. One thing is certain though - head injuries are serious and anyone who suffers an injury to their head needs plenty of time for their brain to heal.

 

It's not uncommon to have physical symptoms such as headaches and extreme tiredness, cognitive symptoms such as problems staying focused, concentrating, or remembering things, difficulty with regulatory abilities such as trouble controlling behavior, angry outbursts, and/or mood swings with feelings of sadness, depression, and/or anxiety. These symptoms often go away over time. However, if a person returns to pre-injury activity levels too quickly, there's a possibility that problems will last much longer. Getting more rest than usual, adjusting daily routines, and managing what is expected of you at school and at home can all help make a full recovery possible and lessen the symptoms.

 

What is a concussion?

A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that can happen when an impulsive force is transmitted to the brain. Although most injuries happen when a person is hit in the head, a concussion can also be caused by an impact to the body that suddenly snaps the head forward or backward. Most concussions do not involve a loss of consciousness (blacking out), but all concussions cause changes in brain functioning (or mental status) that is often related to headaches, fatigue (extreme tiredness), or nausea, and problems with balance and thinking.

 

How do people get concussions?

Concussions are very common, especially among sports players. You can also get a concussion from a fall, a car accident, a physical fight, a bike crash - basically any impact to the head, face, or body that causes a sudden jolt or force to your brain.

 

If your head or another part of your body is hit hard enough, it can cause your head to move suddenly. Although your brain is protected by fluid inside your skull, it can still shift around and hit the walls of your skull which are made of hard bone. The nerves and fibers in the brain can be stretched and torn which affect their ability to function properly. This explains why there is a temporary loss of normal brain function with a concussion.

 

Does a person with a concussion always lose consciousness?

No. Most of the time people who have concussions do not lose consciousness ("black out"). Many people believe that if they didn't black out they are fine, but that's not true. Even if you don't lose consciousness, you can still have a concussion.

 

Next: Symptoms & Early Medical Attention

 

Additional Information:

Warner: Playing through concussion 'part of the game', Stephanie Smith, CNN Medical News

 

Written by the CYWH and YMH Staff at Children's Hospital Boston

 

Updated: 8/23/2011