Seeing Stars: When a Bump On The Head May Be More Serious

New research on concussions has identified these ‘Fictions’ and ‘Facts.’  The following is provided by Chris Hummel, clinical associate professor in Ithaca College’s Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences.  For more information go here.

FICTIONS:

A normal CT scan rules out a concussion.

“A concussion results from a neuro-metabolic event brought on by the trauma,” Hummel said. “Simply put, there is an imbalance of the needed chemicals or fuel that helps the brain function when someone is concussed. That’s not a structural injury, so a CT scan won’t pick it up. CT scans can only view structural damage.”

An individual who has been knocked unconscious will suffer a worse concussion than someone who didn’t lose consciousness.

“A person doesn’t have to be knocked out to sustain a serious concussion,” Hummel said. “In some cases, people who are knocked out may suffer less severe trauma. In either case, the severity of the concussion might not be known for days or weeks.”

A grade-one concussion is less serious than one that’s a grade-three.

“We used to grade concussions during the initial diagnosis, but we no longer do that because we now know it’s difficult to accurately assess the severity of a concussion right away,” Hummel said. “We have to wait and see how the symptoms resolve over time before we can determine how significant the concussion is or is not.”

The harder someone is hit, the worse the concussion.

“It doesn’t always take a big impact to produce a concussion,” Hummel said. “Any contact to the head or body that causes rapid head movement can cause a concussion.”

A person can soldier through a concussion.

“No,” Hummel said. “Typically, it takes one to two weeks for concussion symptoms to resolve and for the brain to begin operating back at full capacity. Just because someone states his or her head has cleared is no indication that he or she should resume normal activities. That would not be safe.”

Helmets prevent concussions.

“Helmets for cyclists, snowboarders and construction workers are designed to prevent skull fractures, not concussions,” Hummel said. “If a helmet is fitted properly, it might reduce the risk or severity of concussions, but no one helmet is capable of preventing a concussion, yet!”

FACTS:

An individual who has had one concussion is more likely to have another than a person who hasn’t been concussed.

“Once someone has experienced one concussion, the threshold for sustaining another concussion can be diminished. Also, if a person sustains another blow before he or she is fully recovered, the resultant symptoms can be worsened and result in a prolonged recovery. There is also a rare phenomenon called Second Impact Syndrome that can cause impaired brain blood flow or even death if an individual suffers another trauma before fully recovering.”

Concussions should be treated and managed on an individual basis.

“The brain is an incredibly complex organ, and so are the neurochemical processes that govern it,” Hummel said. “No two concussions are exactly alike anymore than the brains of any two individuals are identical.”

If you suspect someone of having a concussion, assume it’s a concussion.

“If a person describes having a headache or dizziness, shows signs of balance problems, or difficulty remembering, assume that individual is concussed and have him or her evaluated by qualified medical person,” Hummel said.

For the complete article and a short video go here.