How To Recognize And Treat Concussion?

Mild traumatic brain injury or concussion mainly describes temporary loss of brain function due to a sudden blow to head that resolves itself spontaneously.

When concussion occurs, the normal functioning of the brain is disabled for some time, but there will be no structural damage to your brain.

Usually this temporary disabling of brain function lasts just a few seconds, but can result in loss of consciousness for a couple of minutes or longer.

How a person acts after concussion?

It mainly depends on the severity of the injury and can range from mild to very severe. However, they all share one common factor: temporary interference with the way your brain works. It mainly affects memory, judgment, speech, reflexes, balance and co-ordination.

Most people who experience concussion feel groggy and dazed for some time. The victim will feel shaky or dizzy if s/he tries to walk or perform any activities immediately afterwards. Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, slurred speech and headache that last for a few days are the most common symptoms of concussion.

Is concussion dangerous?

An uncomplicated concussion is not dangerous, but at the same time can’t be treated. Usually, your brain needs a little time to heal on its own. But severe complications can lead to more serious consequences.

A blow to the head can cause tearing of a blood vessel beneath your skull and result in an increase in the accumulation of blood. This will gradually displace your brain, which can be a life-threatening condition. It becomes more complicated if the accumulation of blood is not drained by drilling a hole in the skull.

Post-concussion syndrome is a poorly understood condition, which causes symptoms of concussion to last for weeks or months. If you have had this kind of traumatic brain injury, you are doubly at risk of developing epilepsy in the first few years after traumatic brain injury.

Did you notice bleeding under the scalp?

Bleeding under the scalp creates a large bruise at the site of the head injury and is quite common when you have concussion. Use ice on the area immediately after the trauma to help reduce the size of the bruise.

Wrap the ice in a wash cloth to serve as a barrier between the ice and the bruise. Or use a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a cloth. Apply ice for 20-30 minutes at a time and repeat the procedure every two to four hours, if needed.

For minor head injuries, there is no need to consult a doctor, if there is no loss of consciousness. But, you should immediately seek medical advice if you have a prolonged headache, vision disturbances, loss of smell and taste and impaired balance.