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 Lumps, bumps, falls, and crashes can leave you with a serious headache. Sometimes a blow to the head can result in a concussion. A concussion is a very serious situation and should be treated with care. Use these tips to spot a concussion and take appropriate action.
A concussion is a traumatic brain injury. It can be caused by playing sports, being hit with a moving object, a car accident, falling, or any other motion that results in the brain being severely jarred. A concussion could lead to bleeding in the brain or irreversible damage to the brain.
Symptoms: You may have a concussion if you experience any of these symptoms, from mild to severe.
- Bad headache
- Varied levels of alertness
- Unconsciousness
- Memory loss or gaps
- Poor judgment
- Poor reflexes
- Changes in speech
- Loss of balance and coordination
- Change in sleeping patterns
- Nausea and vomiting
- Bright or flashing lights
If you have any of the following symptoms, seek immediate medical attention, as it is an emergency situation:
- Convulsions
- Seizures
- Muscle weakness
- Unconsciousness or coma
- Excessive vomiting
- Pupils of unequal size
- Unusual movement of the eye
- Difficulty walking
Treatment
See a doctor if you suspect a concussion. A doctor can determine the severity and assess internal bleeding or damage that needs to be dealt with. Treatment may include over-the-counter pain relievers. Your doctor may recommend a lighter diet and avoiding alcohol and exercise until you have recovered. For the first 24 hours, a person with a concussion needs to be supervised by an adult and woken up every 2 to 3 hours to answer a few simple questions, such as name or the date, to determine if any symptoms are worsening.
Recovery
It can take 7 – 10 days to recover from a “simple” concussion and up to a few months to fully recover from a “complex” concussion. During this time, you should not participate in sports or other activities that might result in further head injury. You may continue to feel irritable, experience dizziness, or have difficulty with concentration.
Protect yourself during any physical activity with the correct safety equipment. Be aware of your surrounding and drive carefully to avoid accidents resulting in head injury. Heart and Family Health Institute wants to help protect your health. Our Full Service Outpatient Diagnostic Center can diagnose and treat your concussion if you do suffer a head injury.
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Tags: brain, concussion, coordination, fall, FL, headache, Heart and Family Health Institute, injury, jarring, memory loss, Port St. Lucie, sports, unconscious
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