Excerpts

Concussions are Common

Everyday hundreds of people have “blows to the head” that cause concussions. Many just do nothing and try to “shrug it off” and hope the headache or dizziness goes away with time. Others may see a physician or go to the hospital’s emergency department for an evaluation. Often the examination finds nothing abnormal and the person is sent home. There may be no arrangements for follow-up care, even though the person has symptoms. Sometimes people have long-term problems after a concussion and do not understand why they are having difficulties.

A concussion is a physical injury to the brain that disrupts or interferes with a person’s normal functioning. Just like any other physical injury, it can affect each person differently. For example, some ankle injuries (i.e., sprains and fractures) are more disruptive or limiting to a person’s daily routine or lifestyle than others. Likewise, concussions have different consequences for one individual than another. The better we understand any injury, the better our chances are for a speedier and healthier recovery.

Concussions are the largest group of traumatic brain injuries. They account for almost 70% of all reported traumatic brain injuries. Most concussions are caused by the impact of a collision or a blow to the head during a car crash, a fall, sports injury or an assault. However, a person can also have a concussion as a result of a severe shaking or whiplash of the head. While some concussions cause the person to lose consciousness for a brief period of time (seconds to minutes), other concussions do not. A person may feel like they were “dinged” or “feel foggy”, but not be “knocked out”.