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Faith Ministry Stories

Brain Injuries

Posted by Jean Peikert, RN on

A concussion is a brain injury caused by blunt head trauma. In the US concussion affects more than 1 million individuals each year. Motor vehicle accidents are the most common cause of concussion, but it may result from active contact sports such as baseball, football, skiing, horseback riding, biking or just by a fall.

The symptoms are many: headache, confusion, lack of memory, altered level of consciousness, sleepy, unconscious, nausea and vomiting, ringing in the ears, difficulty with speech, balance, judgment, concentration, learning and sleeping.

Symptoms of concussion develop immediately after the injury and should be assessed as quickly as possible. Alertness, memory and neurological status are evaluated first. In some cases this may be followed by a CT or MRI to exclude rare but dangerous complications such as skull fracture, brain swelling or bleeding.

Rest with gradual return to normal physical and sports activity is important for full recovery. Prevention of a second injury during recovery is important because having a concussion increases the risk of a second concussion by 5 times.