Concussions

A concussion is by definition “any impact to the head”. The impact to be worried about is anything that hits you in a moderate to quick motion. When this sort of impact happens the brain may collide and bounce off your skull. This causes swelling to occur and in severe cases, it causes a bruise to appear on the brain known as a contusion. Because brain tissues are so sensitive and delicate moving around in this fashion can cause them to tear, stretch, twist, and swell. When these things occur the “messaging’ system of the brain is often disturbed and the person may have trouble with certain mental or physical activities. Whiplash, car accidents, blows to the head, falls, and (most common) sports injuries are all common causes for concussions. Sometimes when a person receives a concussion they will go unconscious, this is often a sign of brain damage and should be dealt with promptly.

Signs of a concussion are as follows:

Blurred vision
Slurred speech
Delayed (or incoherent) verbal and motor responses
Drowsiness
Confusion
Memory loss
Persistent headaches
Dilated pupils
Uncoordinated movement
Loss of balance
Seizures
Inability to focus
Bleeding or bruising behind the ears
Sudden changes in personality or mood swings
Inability to perform simple tasks and calculations

If you’re afraid brain damage may have occurred look for these signs:

Headache
Unconsciousness
Pale skin
Unequal size of pupils
Difficulty speaking
Clear or reddish fluid draining from ears, nose, or mouth
Paralysis of an arm or leg opposite the side of the injury to the head.
Paralysis of the face on the same side as the head injury.

While waiting for medical assistance to arrive:

It seems as though the person has suffered more than just a bump on the head, and you have called for medical assistance you may perform the following steps to help the person.

While waiting for medical assistance lay the victim lying down in the recovery position. (Head lowered and legs elevated, loosen any tight clothing, apply cool, damp cloths to face and neck (if available) )
Make sure the victim is breathing properly
Control any bleeding
If the victim becomes unconscious for any amount of time, make sure to note this information and report it when medical help arrives.
Even if they complain of thirst DO NOT give the victim anything to drink.

Closing/Prevention...

Remember, although most concussions do not result in hospitalization, the American Brain Injury Association notes that traumatic brain injuries kill 56,000 Americans per year and hospitalize another 373,000 more. These are important statistics to note, because many people tend to overlook concussions that appear to be only minor. Also remember that concussions may not always cause big problems, but the may cause microscopic ones. This microscopic damage is so small that doctors, even on a brain scan, cannot see it and often goes undiscovered. Someone who has suffered several concussions could be at a higher risk of facing problems with vision, balance, memory, and concentration later in life. The damage from concussions is accumulative, which is why it’s extra important to wear the proper head gear when participating in sports or activities where you might be in harms way. To avoid whiplash injuries always buckle up when you get into a car.