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Concussion: The unnoticed head injury that can cause long term disability
By Dr Zulfikar Bux
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
A concussion is an injury to the brain that results in temporary loss of normal brain function. It is usually caused by a blow to the head. In many cases, there are no external signs of head trauma. Many people assume that concussions involve a loss of consciousness, but that is not true. In many cases, a person with a concussion never loses consciousness.
GPHC’s Director of Emergency Services, Dr Zulfikar Bux
People with concussions often cannot remember what happened immediately before or after the injury and may act confused. A concussion can affect memory, judgment, reflexes, speech, balance and muscle coordination. Repeated concussions can cause serious brain damage.
Today we will discuss this condition so that you can understand when its best to seek help.
WHAT ARE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF A CONCUSSION?
Signs of a concussion usually appear within a few minutes or hours of a head injury. They may not be obvious for a few days, so it’s important to look out for any problems in the days following a head injury.
Symptoms include:
• A headache that doesn’t go away or isn’t relieved with painkillers
• Dizziness
• Feeling sick or vomiting
• Memory loss – you may not remember what happened before or after the injury
• Clumsiness or trouble with balance
• Unusual behaviour – you may become irritated easily or have sudden mood swings
• Feeling stunned, dazed or confused
• Changes in your vision – such as blurred vision or double vision
• Being knocked out or struggling to stay awake
Concussion can be harder to spot in babies and young children. One of the main things to look for is a change in their normal behaviour after a head injury, such as crying a lot, a change in their feeding or sleeping habits, or a loss of interest in people or objects.
WHAT CAN INDICATE MORE SERIOUS HEAD INJURY?
The following are signs and symptoms of a more serious head injury:
• Changes in your behaviour, such as becoming more irritable
• Been drinking alcohol or taking recreational drugs
• Numbness or weakness in part of your body
• Clear fluid coming from their ears or nose
• Bleeding from their ears or bruising behind one or both ears
• A black eye with no obvious damage around the eyes
• A fit (seizure)
A doctor will assess you to determine if your head injury is more serious and you need further testing to rule out this out.
RECOVERING FROM A CONCUSSION
If you’re diagnosed with concussion in hospital, you’ll be able to go home when any serious brain injury has been ruled out and you’re starting to feel better. Most people feel back to normal within a few days or weeks of going home. But some people, especially children, can take longer to recover. In some people, concussion symptoms can last a few months or more. This is known as post-concussion syndrome.
Possible post-concussion symptoms include:
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Problems with memory or concentration
• Unsteadiness
• Depression, anxiety and changes in behaviour
See your doctor if you still have symptoms after 3 months. They may be able to recommend treatments for some of the symptoms, or they may refer you to a specialist.
ARE THERE WAYS TO PREVENT A CONCUSSION?
There’s no guaranteed way to prevent concussion, but there are some simple things you can do that may reduce your risk of a head injury.
These include:
• Wearing the recommended equipment when taking part in a contact sport, such as rugby or boxing
• Making sure any contact sport you or your child are taking part in is supervised by a properly qualified and trained person
• Wearing a seatbelt when driving
• Wearing a helmet when riding a motorcycle or bicycle or batting (hardball)
It’s important to avoid head injuries, as repeated concussions or blows to the head have been linked to serious problems associated with chronic brain damage.
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