Concussions

What is a Concussion?
• A concussion is a type of Traumatic Brain Injury. More commonly called TBI, a TBI is caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works. Concussions can also occur from a fall or a blow to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth.

Symptoms
Symptoms of a concussion range from mild to severe. ey can include:
• Acting confused, feeling spacey, or not thinking straight
• Being drowsy, hard to wake up, or similar changes
• Headache
• Loss of consciousness
• Memory loss
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Pupils not equal in size
• Balance problems
• Coma
• Unusual eye movements

Signs & Tests
• e doctor will perform a physical exam. e person's nervous system will be checked. ere may be changes in the person's pupil size, thinking ability, coordination, and reflexes.
• Tests that may be ordered include:
– EEG
• e recording of electrical activity along the scalp.

– Head CT Scan
• images of internal organs, bones, soft tissue and blood vessels typically provide greater detail than x-rays.

– MRI of the brain
• uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to take pictures of the head.

Treatment
• A more serious head injury that involves bleeding or brain damage must be treated in a hospital. For a mild head injury no treatment may be needed. But be aware that the symptoms of a head injury can show up later.
– Friends or family may need to keep an eye on adults for symptoms after they are released from the emergency room or doctor’s office.
– Parents or caregivers of children need to keep an eye on a child for symptoms after a head injury.
– Both adults and children must follow the health care provider’s instructions about when the person can return to sports.
– Do not do activities that can cause further head injury.
– Avoid tasks that require concentration or complicated thinking. ese include reading, homework, and preparing reports.
– Avoid bright lights and loud sounds. ese can over stimulate the brain
• Recovering from a concussion takes time. It may take days, weeks, or even months Concussions & Sports
• Due to the heavy contact in football, many sports related concussions come from football.
• ere were 265 concussions in the 2012 season, 266 concussions in 2011 season, and 270 concussions in 2010 (from training camp through the Super
Bowl).
• Currently, the NFL is researching better helmets and training more on field personnel to be able to notice concussions before an athlete goes back into the game. • But not only football risks a