Millions of people sustain concussion injuries each year in the United States. While some happen in automobile collisions or fall accidents, most — up to three million cases — occur on the sports field or during recreational activities.
Concussions are a common sports injury, particularly among youth athletes. Luckily, with timely expert care, most people recover fully and don’t suffer any long-term health effects. Unfortunately, one in two concussion injuries go undetected and untreated.
As board-certified sports medicine experts who specialize in concussion management, our experienced team at Sports Medicine Oregon in Tigard and Wilsonville, Oregon, recommends a prompt evaluation for anyone who suffers a head injury — especially when the warning signs of a concussion are present.
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) that occurs when an external force — usually a hit to the head or body — causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden jolting motion can make the brain bounce or even twist inside its skull, stretching and bruising the organ’s nerves and blood vessels.
This can lead to temporary chemical changes that trigger acute (short-term) neurological dysfunction. Sometimes, a concussion can also stretch and damage brain cells.
Concussions are considered “mild” brain injuries because they aren’t life-threatening. Even so, their effects can be serious. It’s also important to recognize that it’s possible to sustain a mild TBI without a significant degree of trauma — or a loss of consciousness.
Concussion symptoms don’t always emerge right away; in some cases, they appear days or even weeks after the injury event. Just as often, though, concussion warning signs are evident within minutes or hours of a head injury.
Concussion symptoms that often appear immediately (but may emerge later) include:
Amnesia, or memory loss surrounding the time just before the injury event, is another common early concussion sign. Vomiting right after a head injury should be considered a red flag TBI sign. Concussion symptoms that tend to emerge later (but can also appear right away) include:
When an athlete experiences any of these symptoms after a fall, collision, or impact on the field, they should stop play immediately. If there was a loss of consciousness or confusion, seek emergency care; otherwise, call and make an appointment with our team right away.
When you sustain a concussion, the path it takes depends on injury severity as well as how your brain responds to the trauma. The six different types of concussion are defined by the symptoms they cause:
This type of concussion is associated with mental weariness, including having trouble with complex tasks, being more distracted than normal, and feeling extra tired after long days.
This mild TBI makes it harder to carry out visual tasks, like reading long passages, looking at a smartphone or computer screen, and tracking motion with your eyes.
A vestibular concussion affects your brain’s balance center, causing problems with your equilibrium, vision, and motion. This type of concussion can make it hard to steady your vision when you turn your head.
A cervical concussion places increased stress or pressure on the neck or cervical spine that can trigger neck pain and/or increased headaches, especially with poor posture (i.e., slouching) or heavy lifting (i.e., a heavy backpack).
This type of concussion affects your senses, making you feel overwhelmed in busy or loud places and causing headaches accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound.
A mild TBI that affects your brain’s mood area can make you feel anxious, restless, and challenged by social situations.
A concussion is always serious, but it can cause long-term health complications when it’s mismanaged — or missed altogether. Fortunately, with proper care, most mild TBIs resolve in two to three weeks.
Remember: The faster you seek medical care for a suspected concussion, the quicker your recovery will be — and we’re here to help. Call or click online to schedule an evaluation at your nearest Sports Medicine Oregon location in Tigard or Wilsonville, Oregon, today.
