Concussion: What should you look out for?

What is concussion?

Concussion is a disturbance in brain function caused by direct or indirect force to the head which results in a variety of vague signs and/or symptoms and most often does not involve loss of consciousness.

If you want to learn more about this topic, you can watch Marwan Al-Dawoud' lecture here:

Click here

Why is it important to recognize concussions?

Concussions accounts for around 25% of all rugby injuries. They can lead to structural brain injury. For players who return back too soon to sport, symptoms can be prolonged and more troublesome which is called second impact syndrome. Moreover, there is a 60% increased risk of other injuries after concussion and possible long-term change in brain function and mental health.

Symptoms of concussion

Symptoms of concussion usually start shortly after the incident and get better with time and appropriate rest and recovery, but can be delayed. Majority of the concussions (80-90%) resolve in around 7- 10 days, but they can take longer. 

The three most common symptoms of concussion are:

1. Headache
2. Dizziness
3. Difficulty concentrating

What are the signs of concussion?

Signs of concussion include:

1. Loss of consciousness
2. Traumatic convulsion
3. Tonic posturing
4. Ataxia
5. Disorientation or confusion 

Watch this clip to know more about these signs: 

Apart from these signs concussion should also be suspected in the presence of one or more of the following:

1. Significant blow to the head
2. Symptoms or Physical signs
3. Impaired brain function
4. Abnormal behaviour
5. Incorrect/ struggling with Maddock's Questions

What are the long term effects of concussion?

10-15% of concussions develop persistent symptoms which include vestibular, somatic, cognitive and emotional. Multiple concussions risk cognitive impairment and mental health problems. 

Watch this clip to know more about the long term effects: 

If you want to learn more about this topic, you can watch Marwan Al-Dawoud' lecture here:

Click here

Sources:
1. Lecture 'Concussion' by Dr. Marwan Al-Dawoud on Trust me-Ed