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Concussion Management: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Members of the concussion management team may include a sports medicine physician, primary care physician, athletic trainer, teacher, school administrator, social worker, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech language pathologist, psychologist, neuropsychologist, neurologist, radiologist, orthopedic surgeon, ophthalmologist, ear nose & throat physician and other healthcare professions. HOW CAN I SPOT A POSSIBLE CONCUSSION? Concussions are a fairly common injury, but many people are unaware of exactly what happens when one gets a concussion. This injury is a result of an impact, in which the brain collides with the inside of the skull. This can be caused by a harsh blow to the head or any traumatic jolt to the body. Concussions can also be caused if a violent back-and-forth motion (such as whiplash) of the head takes place. When your head tosses in different directions rapidly (such as from a car crash or harsh football tackle), your brain gets tossed along inside it, bouncing off the bony enclosure of your skull. Concussions can result in a number of unfortunate symptoms, such as: · Painful and chronic headaches/migraines · Sensitivity to light and sound · Memory loss and confusion · Nausea and vomiting · Inability to focus · Dizziness · Fatigue If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you may have a concussion. HOW CAN PHYSICAL THERAPY HELP A PATIENT RECOVER FROM A SPORTS CONCUSSION? Physical therapists play an important role on a concussion management team. Physical Therapist will evaluate and treat many aspects of concussion that may include dizziness that may arise from a neck issue (cervicogenic dizziness), balance deficits, neck pain, headaches that are referred from the neck, vertigo from an inner ear condition (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), exercises for vision issues (ocular motor exercises), issues with blood pressure & heart rate with exercise (autonomic dysregulation), and help to progress patients through a graded return to play protocol. · Ringing in the ears · Visual abnormalities · Slurring of speech
The general definition of a concussion means the act of forcefully shaking or jarring. A sports concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) caused by a shaking or jarring of the brain. A sports concussion can occur with a bump, blow or jolt to the head or the body which causes the brain to move within the skull. This movement causes the brain to hit the inside of the skull or stretch which can result in a change in brain cell chemistry and structural injury from cell stretching. This damage can result in a variety of signs and symptoms depending on the portion of the brain involved during a sports concussion. ARE CONCUSSIONS SERIOUS? Sports concussions are described as a “mild” traumatic brain injury because concussions are not usually life-threatening. However, concussions are a brain injury and can lead to serious long-term consequences if not managed correctly by a qualified healthcare professional. WHO IS QUALIFIED TO TREAT SPORTS CONCUSSIONS? No single healthcare professional is able to fully manage a sports concussion due to the many different issues related to a concussion. Concussion management is truly a team effort to help a patient return to his or her prior level of function.
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