A concussion occurs when the brain is jostled so severely that it impacts the inside of the skull. If a person hits their head or their body is hit hard enough to cause their head to jerk violently, the cushion of water that surrounds and protects the brain cannot absorb the impact. The brain is a sensitive organ, so any contact between it and the skull can cause damage. Concussions are considered severe brain trauma, and can be dangerous if left untreated. Any significant blow to the head can lead to a concussion.
Symptoms may not be readily apparent immediately following the injury, so it is important to watch for symptoms to develop over time whenever someone suffers any sort of sharp blow to the head. Symptoms can last as little as a few hours or as long as a few weeks depending on the severity of the brain damage. Repeated damage can lead to more permanent brain damage, but most concussions will fully heal with proper care and treatment. The most effective treatment is total rest, which includes not performing any physical or stressful mental activity until the brain has time to heal. Seek treatment from a professional if you experience any of the following symptoms for more than one day:
1. Severe Headache
The most common symptom of concussions is a severe headache that lasts longer than a few hours. It is normal for any head injury to cause a headache, but the pain should recede within an hour or so after the injury if there is no trauma to the brain. Watch someone who has suffered a head injury carefully for at least an hour to see if the headache recedes normally. With brain trauma, the headache is not always localized to the spot of impact. Pain can be widespread throughout the cranial region, and the headache can cycle from a dull throb to a spike in pain. It is important to avoid any activity that worsens the headache, especially right after the injury.
Renewed activity could lead to a second injury, which could lead to a much more serious and potentially chronic problem. If common headache treatments like Ibuprofen do not help reduce the pain within an hour of injury there is a good chance that the headache is a symptom of a concussion. Some headaches can last for days or even weeks. Your doctor may recommend dietary supplements or other treatments to help alleviate the pain until the brain fully recovers.
2. Blackout
Losing consciousness after a blow to the head is one of the most recognizable signs of a concussion. If someone passes out for even a short period of time after the injury they should be treated as if they have suffered a brain injury. The person should avoid physical contact and visit a doctor if symptoms persist. If the person remains unconscious for longer than a few minutes the brain injury may be more severe than a concussion. Not every brain trauma causes a blackout, though, so do not assume that a person is not concussed because they remained conscious after they hit their head.
3. Fatigue
Excessive fatigue can be difficult to diagnose after a concussion, especially if the person was injured during exercise or while playing sports. The fatigue that accompanies brain trauma will be accompanied by other typical symptoms, such as headache or disorientation. It is also more than simply a feeling of tiredness. The fatigue that follows a brain injury is mental as well as physical. A person will process information more slowly and want to sit down or lie down more often after a brain injury. Concussion fatigue can last from a few hours to a few days depending on the injury’s severity.
4. Poor Balance
The body uses many complicated brain signals to maintain good balance, so a concussion can have a clear effect on a person’s ability to stand up or walk steadily. Sports coaches are usually taught several balance tests to perform on an athlete who has suffered a head injury. Although not every concussion can cause balance problems, anyone who has trouble sitting up or balancing well enough to walk in a straight line should be treated as if their head injury is a concussion. Any significant evidence of poor balance that does not go away after a few minutes is an indication that there has been a brain injury.
5. Amnesia
Sometimes a concussion can cause a person to have difficulty with short term memory immediately following the injury. Amnesia does not necessarily mean that a person cannot remember anything, but it does mean that they have trouble remembering things they should know easily. A concussion can cause short term difficulty remembering simple information like a person’s name or where they were born. It can also make it difficult to remember new information. If someone suffers a head injury, ask them some simple questions about themselves. If they have difficulty coming up with the answers, they should be treated as if they have a concussion.
6. Disorientation
Even a mild concussion can cause a person to become disoriented for a brief period of time. A disoriented person may not understand where they are. They may be unable to understand why they are lying down or what happened to them before the injury. They might not know what day of the week it is, what month it is, or even what time of day it is. Sometimes disorientation can cause a person to become distressed, so it is important to keep the injured person calm as they try to work through the confusion caused by the injury. If a disoriented state lasts even a few minutes it is a good idea to seek treatment for the head injury.
7. Mental Confusion
The combination of amnesia and disorientation can appear as mental confusion. Other symptoms of confusion can include the inability to form complete sentences or understand what someone is saying. A person with a concussion might have difficulty concentrating when someone asks them a question. This mental confusion can be paired with wide mood swings that can include inappropriate bursts of laughter or tears. Erratic behavior and any evidence of impaired cognitive ability are signs that a brain injury has occurred. Do not allow the injured person to continue physical activity and seek a professional for treatment as soon as possible.
8. Sleepiness
Sometimes a brain injury can cause a person to want to go to sleep. If the injured person cannot seem to stay awake it is important to help them maintain consciousness until they receive medical attention. It is possible that the excessive sleepiness does not become noticeable until a few hours after the injury. In some cases, a concussion can cause someone to be unable to fall asleep rather than cause them to want to sleep more. It is a good idea to visit a doctor if normal sleep patterns are considerably disrupted, even if the problem is not noticeable until well after the injury occurs.
9. Nausea
Some head injuries are accompanied by severe nausea, sometimes accompanied by vomiting. The same issues that cause balance problems or dizziness also cause digestive problems in some individuals. If someone complains of feeling sick to their stomach after a blow to the head there is a good chance they have suffered a concussion. Vomiting after a head injury is good evidence that the brain’s balance centers have been disrupted, which means the brain has been jostled violently enough to cause at least some damage. When nausea is accompanied by other symptoms on this list, seek medical attention as soon as possible.
10. Irritability
Some irritability is to be expected when a person is hit on the head. Excessive irritability that does not dissipate over time is a sign that a more severe injury has occurred. If a person remains extremely angry or volatile even a few hours after the injury it is a sign that the brain may have suffered some bruising or other damage. Sometimes irritability can look more like anxiety or excessive worrying. If the irritability is paired with nausea, dizziness, or excessive sleepiness it is a good idea to keep the person as still as possible and seek medical attention.
