Concussion Symptoms|Concussions

Concussion is described in medical circle as an injury to the brain. The injury may due to an impact on the head. Though concussion is not a life threatening injury, ignoring it will lead to both short term and long term problems. Severe head injuries causing bleeding or an injury into the brain and that may be fatal are not termed as concussion.

Head injuries are increasingly common in soccer - the newer balls fly faster through the air and the legs kicking them are stronger. It is also true that players continue to play despite being injured and this has neurologists worldwide worried. A concussion might be a minor event the first time it happens to a player, but repeated blows to the head can do serious harm. Not only soccer, but also sports life baseball, boxing and racing are some other fields where concussion may occur.

Concussion Symptoms

A concussion person need not has loss of consciousness. A concussed person may have a blank stare, disorientation , slurred speech, memory problems, easy distractibility and emotional liability. The typical slow speech and overly distraught behavior paraded in shows poking fun at rugby and ice hockey players are more than just a joke.

Over days and weeks following an apparently temporary knockout on the field, a person might develop a nagging, low-grade headache, light-headedness, decreased attention and concentration, easy irritability, memory loss - especially for recent events, easy fatigability, insomnia, jitteriness, tinnitus, photophobia and anxiety or depressed mood.

The most troubling aspect post-concussion is the apparent lack of judgment displayed by the injured person. The concussed person tends to downplay the presence of the neurological problem. Sadly, more often than not, sports commentators praise this behavior as bravery. The dazed boxer who rises up before the count of ten, deserves a brain scan and prompt neurologist attention - not applause. Mohammed Ali's parkinsonism may well be the result of too many blows to the head,, and each time he got up to fight again, it was applauded by the commentators.

Preventing concussions is better than treating them. Heading the soccer ball can cause serious injury if done the wrong way. Meet the ball with the middle of your forehead, while keeping your back straight and your shoulders square. Do not sideswipe the ball with your head. Wear helmets while driving two wheelers and for all sports with a high risk of falls, crashes and blows to the head. Wear seat belts while driving - many unrecognized concussions happen in crashed. And try solving problems with your head - rather than with blows to the head to avoid concussion