Concussion: symptoms, causes, diagnosis and treatment

What is a concussion?

Concussion Is brain damage that affects thinking and other aspects of cognitive function.

A concussion can be caused by a blow to the head, a literal head-on collision (for example, two football player playing, they may collide with their foreheads), or strong shaking of the head or body, in which the brain already beats against scull.

When this happens, brain cells (neurons) are damaged and cannot effectively transmit signals, which leads to various symptoms.

This type of injury is a common form of traumatic brain injury (TBI). According to the American Society of Neuroradiology, about 75 percent TBIs are concussions.

A concussion is also considered a mild TBI, but anyone who hits themselves in the head with something hard or who sees their child hitting themselves in the head on the playground, this term may not seem at all easy. This may be partly due to the emergence of serious long-term problems caused by concussions and other head injuries in athletes, which are a growing concern about the safety of contact species sports.

If there is a possibility that you or your loved one is having a concussion, it can be helpful to understand what it is. brain injury, how it is diagnosed and treated, and the possible complications it can call.

Causes and risk factors for concussion

Describing the cause of a concussion isn't an exact science - at least not yet. There is a lot that doctors do not know about what can cause a concussion, the term is not even used universally.

"Concussion" is a word used more in sports, but "minor head injury" is a term used more in the military.

In any case, the only constant cause of concussions is it's a blow to the head.

Common Causes

Brain damage from direct contact, shearing, and impact of the brain on the inside of the skull during acceleration or deceleration is the main cause of concussion. Certain activities are known to have a higher prevalence of the condition.

The causes of concussion can be divided into two categories: sports-related concussions and unsporting concussions. There is not much difference between the two in actual brain damage, but targeted medical attention and concussion detection brains in sports are indeed altering accountability - and therefore disease incidence - both on and off the pitch. outside.

Sports-related reasons

Of all sports, boxing is the king of concussions. Indeed, the only guaranteed way to win a fight is by concussion (by knocking him out).

Studies of amateur boxers show that knockout is not the only way to cause a concussion. Repeated blows to the head, even if they do not result in acute loss of consciousness, can cause concussion.

It takes a boxer almost the same amount of time to fully recover from a fight, regardless of whether he was knocked out or not. In fact, if a boxer is not knocked out, it simply means that he spent more time beating.

Non-athletic causes of concussion

Outside of a grate or ring, the most common causes of concussion occur on the battlefield.

Concussions related to military action or combat are reported differently from concussions related to sports, so there is no direct comparison. However, the causes of concussion in combat are well documented and tend to be associated with explosions.

As with sports-related concussions, combatants receive medical attention before and after a concussion. which allows for more in-depth studies, as well as preliminary examinations of the condition before concussion brain. These tests help detect concussion after trauma.

Apart from explosions, other causes of concussion in the line of duty are similar to work-related injuries. in non-military industries: vehicle collisions, falls, accidental head bumps, etc.

Outside of military service, most people do not undergo regular neurological examinations to determine underlying neurological conditions. Pre-injury function. This makes it much more difficult to correctly identify concussions outside the playing field or battlefield.

Genetics

For a long time, concussion was thought to be a relatively minor medical condition, or not a condition at all. It wasn't until the early 21st century that the severity of concussion really became apparent, and research is still looking into it.

There is no clear genetic marker for a higher risk of injury, but women appear to have a lower risk of concussion than men.

Risk factors

The biggest risk factor for concussion is prior concussion or repeated blows to the head. Boxing, for example, is associated with a much higher risk of long-term concussion due to direct blows to the head. Avoiding direct, repetitive injury is the single most important factor in reducing your personal risk of concussion.

One study found that there are ways to mitigate the potential damage caused by a blow to the head. For example, an increase in neck muscle strength showed a statistically significant reduction in injury, especially when combined with anticipation and preparation for impact.

Signs and symptoms of a concussion

The symptoms of a concussion are complex. Signs of brain damage vary widely depending on factors such as the severity of the blow to the head or body and the location of the injury.

For example, a push to the back of the head, where the back of the brain is located, can cause dizziness or vision problems. Trauma to the front of the head can result in personal or emotional disorders.

To complicate matters further, some concussion symptoms appear immediately, while others may not appear for days or even weeks. That's why it is important to consider any blow to the head as potentially leading to a concussioneven if any immediate reactions such as dizziness or confusion are mild or brief, and watch for future symptoms that may appear much later than the actual developments.

Types of symptoms

One helpful way to look at the myriad of concussion symptoms is to categorize them into types.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists four distinct categories of concussion symptoms.

1. Cognitive symptoms: trouble remembering new information, difficulty thinking clearly or quickly, confusion, inability to concentrate or concentrate.
2. Physical symptoms: headache, blurred vision, nausea or vomiting (these are the two symptoms that appear most often in the first place), dizziness, sensitivity to noise or light, problems with balance and coordination, tiredness, weakness, lethargy, or lack of energy.
3. Emotional symptoms: unexplained irritability, sadness, nervousness, anxiety, or a general tendency to be more emotional than usual.
4. Sleep related symptoms: Sleep longer or less than usual, trouble falling asleep, or drowsiness.

These symptoms can also occur in children. In very young children, a concussion can also cause inconsolable crying and refusal to eat or breastfeed.

Complications

Even a mild head injury can lead to significant problems in the long term. This is especially true for multiple concussions, which "have been associated with the development of delayed brain degeneration."

Moreover, immediate signs of a concussion, such as dizziness and confusion, are often weak and disappear so quickly, sometimes within minutes, that the person experiencing them will brush them off from them. The problem is that any degree of brain injury takes time to heal.

One of the chronic problems associated with multiple concussions that has received a lot of attention is depression. For example, in one American study of 2,552 retired soccer players, more than 11 percent of people with a history of multiple concussions also had a clinical diagnosis. depression. Players who reported three or more previous concussions were three times more likely to be diagnosed with depression than those who did not have a previous concussion.

Some studies show that the prevalence of depression in head injury patients can be as high as 40 percent. Several studies have also shown a link between a history of traumatic brain injury and a higher likelihood of developing severe depression later in life.

When to see a doctor?

Although a concussion may take some time to cause the first symptoms, some cases, it is immediately clear that a person may have a concussion or other traumatic brain injury (TBI). For example, if a football player feels dizzy or disoriented after hitting his head on the ground as a result of a collision or collided with another player, he may have a concussion after a few seconds, even if he feels wonderful.

When a blow to the head causes any immediate symptoms, however mild or fleeting, you must stop whatever you are doing. Continued activity increases the risk of other injury, potentially with more serious consequences. It is recommended to consult a neurologist when there is a possibility of a concussion or TBI.

When to Seek Emergency Help?

There are clear signs that urgent care is needed. If you or someone else experience one or more of the following symptoms after being hit on the head, no matter how insignificant it may seem, immediately seek medical attention for complete survey.

• difficulty remembering recent events or personal information;
• severe headache, especially quickly occurring in a certain place;
• mental confusion or strange behavior;
• nausea or vomiting;
• dizziness, poor balance, or unsteady gait;
• weakness in the arms or legs;
• extreme drowsiness or lethargy;
• different pupil sizes (anisocoria);
• loss of appetite;
• persistent ringing or noise in ears;
• slurred speech;
• visual problems such as seeing asterisks or blurred vision;
• bleeding or clear fluid from the ears or nose;
• convulsions;
• loss of consciousness.

How is concussion diagnosed?

Diagnosing a concussion can be tricky. Although any degree of head injury can cause it, the most common concussions are those that occur during minor head injuries - not associated with detectable bleeding or bruising in the head brain.

This means that using a brain scan method such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT), which are used to diagnose severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), is not a viable method for diagnosing concussion.

Because brain scans can identify bruising or bleeding in the brain, but not the cell damage believed to cause concussion symptoms, doctors must rely on careful assessment of symptoms, neuropsychological function, and other more subjective methods survey.

This is sometimes done on the spot, immediately after the injury, when the athlete is hit or jolted to the head, and a quick decision must be made as to whether he or she can safely return to the game.

How is concussion treated?

For an injury that can be difficult to diagnose, concussion treatment is surprisingly simple. No medication required though Panadol (Paracetamol), Advil or Motrin (Ibuprofen) can help with headaches. It is sometimes advisable to stay in the hospital for follow-up after a head injury, but this is rarely necessary. And only severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) will require intervention such as surgery.

In fact, the most effective treatment for concussion is rest - complete rest. For some people, this is easier said than done. But by giving both the body and the brain a long time out, the damage caused by the concussion will heal.

Physical rest

This is especially important for athletes who may be tempted to return directly to the field after being hit over the head.

Even a few seconds of feeling dazed or dizzy can indicate brain damage, therefore, it is very important to stay out of the way until the examination shows that everything is in order and you can return to the game.

This is especially important for someone who has had a concussion in the past. Repeated concussions can cause serious and long-term problems, especially if a second concussion occurs before the first is fully recovered. Repeated concussions not only increase the risk of further concussion, but are also associated with early dementia.

This advice applies to non-athletes as well, but regardless of what you were doing when you suffered an injury that led to a concussion, it is important to avoid any physical activity that could put you at risk of re-injury heads.

This means, for example, that if you stumble and slide down stairs and have a concussion after hitting your head on the railing, you should probably stay away from your bike (or skates and skis) until you fully recover and get the green light from your doctor. When you resume your normal activities, come back. Athletes often start with light aerobic exercise.

Cognitive rest

For many people, this can be even more difficult. But the only way to allow the brain to truly recover is to use it as little as possible - which is often called cognitive relaxation. This usually means not reading, doing homework, writing text messages, browsing the Internet, playing video games, or watching TV. Even listening music can burden the brain. You will most likely be advised to stay at home, not go to school or work while recovering from a concussion.

How long the body and brain are resting will depend on the severity of the concussion and what the doctor decides. One thing for sure is that there is no need to rush to recover from a concussion. Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) claimsthat the process can be very uneven. A person who recovers from a concussion is likely to feel better than on other days.

On good days like this, it is often tempting to try to “do more” to catch up on lost “bad days,” but this approach, according to the BIAA, could slow the pace of recovery. And when you resume your normal activities, you will need to do it slowly. Work, for example, for only half a day, or temporarily move behind a desk in your classroom or office, where the lights are dimmer and there is less noise and activity.

It will also be important to get enough sleep, avoid alcohol, give up cigarettes if you smoke, drink plenty of water and eat well.