A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that can affect your brain function, cause a host of symptoms, and even put your life at risk. Concussions happen when your head is moved in a forceful and sudden manner or if it collides with something. As a result, you experience inflammation in the skull, which is typically temporary. Concussions are most common in car and sports accidents.
Concussion Symptoms
Concussions typically cause you to have concentration, memory, coordination, and balance problems. Other symptoms include headaches, nausea, vomiting, amnesia, and general confusion. You may also have blurry vision, a ringing in the ears, and feel dizzy. You may also have slurred speech, appear dazed, respond to questions with significant delays, and even lose consciousness. Symptoms are typically worse and last a lot longer if the concussion is severe.
If you have these symptoms, it is pretty obvious that you need to see a doctor immediately. However, concussions are not always obvious. In many cases, concussions can cause symptoms hours or days after the injury. Look out for symptoms, such as sensitivity to lights or loud sounds, irritability, sleep problems, odd personality changes, difficulty concentrating, forgetting simple things, and distorted senses of smell and taste. Regardless of how long it has been since you got injured, if you experience any of these symptoms, you should see a doctor right away to get tested for a concussion.
Recovery
Mild concussions often only require ample rest. You should stay in bed and get a lot of physical and mental rest. This means refraining from working, being in loud and chaotic spaces, or stimulating your mind too much. For the first 2 days, you should refrain from watching tv, doing work, reading, using a smartphone or computer, and playing games. These things can exasperate your symptoms. You should also refrain from physically demanding tasks, such as exercise, chores, and playing sports, until you have fully recovered. If you feel pain symptoms because of the concussion, your doctor may prescribe pain medication to alleviate your symptoms. As your head heals, a lot of the symptoms you may be feeling will fade and disappear.
Severe concussions could be life-threatening and will require you to be monitored by a medical professional for several hours to ensure you are not in danger. Severe concussions often take longer to heal and may require you to stay at a hospital for a few days. If you have severe symptoms from the concussion, you doctor may recommend rehabilitation to help resolve vision, hearing, balance, and cognitive problems you may be experiencing.
If you have lasting symptoms from your concussion, your recovery could take several weeks or months.
Concussion Diagnosis and Treatment in Lone Tree, CO
The experts at Front Range Spine and Neurosurgery have a wealth of experience treating conditions and injuries of the spine and brain, including concussions. If you or a loved one have had a concussion, seek medical attention immediately. Give us a call at (303) 790-1800 to schedule an appointment right away to get the care you need. You can also request an appointment online.
