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Concussions
Dr Dr. Erin. Erin Schaffer
Concussions
Concussions can can happen happen to to anyone anyone
,, from from your your favorite
favorite pro athlete to your young children. That’ s why it’ s pro important
athlete to for
your players
young, coaches
children and
. That parents
’ s why to
it know
’ important the symptoms for players and
, treatment coaches protocol and parents for them to know. the symptoms and treatment protocol for them.
A concussion is a transient alteration and temporary loss of normal A brain concussion function. is We a transient often hear alteration about concussions and temporary as the
loss result of normal of a sporting brain function injury, but. We they often can hear occur about from concussions any kind of trauma as the or result direct of a force sporting to the injury head, but. A concussion they can occur can also from originate any kind from of trauma a force or direct that force occurs to the elsewhere head. A in concussion the body and can is transmitted also originate to the from head a force. that occurs elsewhere in the body and is transmitted to the head.
Symptoms of a concussion may vary from person to person. For many, Symptoms symptoms of start a concussion immediately may, but vary for from others person, symptoms person may. show For many up, symptoms minutes start or hours immediately later. Here, but are for the others most, common symptoms symptoms may show to look up minutes out for or: hours later. Here are the most common symptoms to look out for:
• Headache
• Headache • Confusion
• Confusion • Dizziness
• Dizziness • Balance changes
• Balance • Sensitivity changes to light and sound
• Sensitivity
• Neck pain to light and sound
• Mood changes such as agitation or depression
• Neck
• Blurred
pain or double vision
• Mood
• Concentration changes such issues
as agitation or depression
• Blurred • Abnormalities or double of vision the sleep cycle
• Concentration issues
• Abnormalities Unfortunately, there of the are sleep very cycle few objective tests to diagnose a
concussion. Most concussions are diagnosed through an exam
Unfortunately performed, by there are health very provider few objective and symptoms tests to reported diagnose by a the concussion patient. A. Most CT scan concussions may be run are in the diagnosed early stages through of a head an exam injury performed to check by for the bleeding health around provider the and brain symptoms, but this does reported not ultimately by the patient. A CT scan may be run in the early stages of a head injury to check for bleeding around the brain, but this does not ultimately aid aid in in the the diagnosis diagnosis of of a a concussion concussion. Neurocognitive. Neurocognitive testing testing is often is often performed and can be helpful in diagnosing a concussion. performed and can be helpful in diagnosing a concussion.
The treatment for a concussion often depends on the individual patient The treatment. The most for critical a concussion treatment often is to depends remove the on patient the individual from the environment patient. The of most the critical injury, for treatment example is, removing to remove a football the patient player from from the practice environment. A second of the impact injury, for too example close to, the removing initial concussion a football player could be from life practice threatening. A second. impact too close to the initial concussion could be life threatening. It is recommended that the patient rest physically and cognitively. This means It is recommended abstaining from that things the patient like television rest physically, computers and and cognitively video. This games means to abstaining give the brain from a things chance like to television rest., computers and video Treatment games to may give also the brain consist a chance of different to rest types. of therapy, like vestibular ocular Treatment physical may therapy also consist, speech of different therapy and types psychotherapy of, like, depending vestibular on ocular the patient physical’ s symptoms therapy, speech. therapy and psychotherapy, depending on the patient’ s symptoms. The prevention of concussions is tricky. Many people believe that a helmet The prevention will help prevention of concussions but this is tricky simply. Many untrue people: a helmet believe helps that a prevent helmet will facial help and prevention skull injuries but. The this best is simply prevention untrue in: sports a helmet is proper helps technique prevent facial and and rule enforcement skull injuries. by The referees best prevention and umpires in. sports is proper
technique and rule enforcement by referees and umpires.
In most cases, one concussion will not affect a person’ s long term health. Patients that don’ t respond well to concussion treatment may develop
In most cases post-concussive
, one concussion syndrome
will. The
not expected
affect a person time period
’ s long for
term an adult health to. Patients recover from that a don concussion
’ t respond is well less to than concussion 14 days and treatment less than
may a develop month for post-concussive children. syndrome. The expected time period for an adult to recover from a concussion is less than 14 days and less than
If a month you are for concerned children. about the possibility of concussion or want to learn more about how to protect yourself or your kids, call Dr. Shaffer If you are at WHS concerned Primary about Care the – Lakeside possibility at( of 724 concussion) 969-1001 or want whs to learn. org. more about how to protect yourself or your kids, call Dr. Shaffer at WHS Primary Care – Lakeside at( 724) 969-1001 or whs. org.
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To schedule, please call( 724) 969-1001.
PETERS TOWNSHIP ❘ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2018 45