Concussion: how to recognize what to do and how not to harm
Educational Program Health / / December 19, 2019
Concussion is not the most terrible head injury, but the consequences of his vile: a few weeks of nausea, dizziness and irritability. And that's good, because a concussion can mask more serious problem.
Concussion - sudden short-term disturbance of brain functions. Usually there is a concussion after hitting his head or falling. Sometimes no external signs of trauma is not: no bumps or bruises or wounds. A concussion is.
Symptoms of concussion may not be immediately apparent after the injury. It will take a few weeks, and will start a headache, dizziness appears, and you will not understand why.
Due to an injury disrupted the reticular activating system. This system is responsible for the mind, regulates sleeping and waking, helps to highlight the desired information from the general noise.
When the brain is due to the time of impact-changing situation, there are disturbances in the electrical activity of nerve cells, form the reticular activating system. Concussion symptoms appear.
When to Seek Help
After the man's head injuries should be examined by a doctor. Even if there is no visible damage to the skull, the brain could be badly hit. The physician should rule out hemorrhage or cerebral edema (this is more complex effects of trauma).
You can not self-diagnose "concussion" and think that everything will go.
The symptoms of concussion are divided into several categories, because the injury affects almost the entire body.
Symptoms of a concussion from the thinking and memory
- The man lost consciousness for a few seconds or minutes.
- He does not remember what happened to him and that it was immediately after the injury.
- Lethargic, slow to respond to questions, he does not understand what he is told.
- Can not concentrate.
- With difficulty reading or writing.
- Can not remember new information.
Symptoms concussion from the general state of the organism
- Headache.
- infringement of view: Before the eyes of flies flying around, double vision and blurred.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Dizziness.
- Sensitivity to bright light and noise.
- Problems with balance, staggering gait.
- Drowsiness or, conversely, insomnia.
Symptoms of a concussion from the emotions and moods
- Causeless irritability.
- Depression.
- Heightened emotionality: in a person's mood is changing rapidly.
- Fatigue, lack of energy.
Notice the child can be injured if his behavior has changed: the baby does not respond to external stimuli, can not concentrate, naughty, crying, refuses food and water.
If a person is sick, he can not stay awake, asleep, does not answer questions, do not try to take him to the hospital on their own, call an ambulance.
If the injury was drunk or taking tranquilizers man, it necessarily need to bring him into the emergency room because of a concussion symptoms in this situation is easily missed.
What to do while you are waiting for doctors
- Attach the 20 minutes to the place of impact a cold compress to reduce swelling. Wrap a towel package of frozen vegetables - this is the quickest way to make an ice pack.
- Place the person on his side, bend his legs, put one hand behind his head, the other hand is also bend at the elbow. The position should be stable, so that people do not accidentally rolled over on his back, if consciousness is turned off.
- Do not give medication.
Important! If someone is unconscious, then by default it is considered that he had a serious head or neck injury. Do not shake, do not turn and do not carry humans. Call an ambulance.
Signs of complications of concussion
Head injuries are insidious in that the symptoms may not be immediately apparent. Even if a person with a concussion sent to the trauma center of the home, be sure to medical cause in these cases:
- Headache persists and grows.
- Rolls severe weakness, impaired coordination.
- Repeated vomiting.
- Speech becomes slurred.
- One pupil becomes larger than the other.
- Person fails to wake up.
How to treat a concussion
There are three degrees of severity of the concussion. If light can be treated at home, and moderate to severe means that you need to lie down at the hospital.
A person with a concussion should not be left alone for two days, because complications can occur at this time.
The main principle of treatment - rest. After an injury you need more rest and not to worry. The patient can not read, watch TV, play computer games. You can listen to music, but without headphones.
Get back to work only when fully recover. Also we have to wait for a cure, to get behind the wheel to drive a car or on a bicycle. Contact sport - after permission of the attending physician.
Full recovery will take from three to six months.
How to protect yourself from concussion
Concussion occurs most often in children aged 5 to 14 years. The causes of injuries - sports and bicycle rides.
Adults make a concussion in an accident and falls. It is also common injury among athletes, especially extreme sports or pin (boxing, rugby).
Not necessarily to fall to earn a concussion. Head enough to catch something heavier than a soccer ball.
It seems that the accident no one is immune. But the usual safety measures reduce the chances of getting to know a head concussion. What to do?
- Always wear protective gear while playing sports. Even if you're just riding a bike, wear a helmet.
- On a motorbike - just a helmet.
- Any contact sports (boxing, rugby, hockey) is engaged only under the supervision of a professional trainer.
- Always fastens a seat belt.
- Do not block the stairs and clean the front steps of the snow.
- To change a light bulb, use a stable support.
- Always immediately wipe the puddle on the floor. Do not wait until someone slips.