Concussion: It’s a Big Deal

When you think of a brain injury, you might think of someone who was a typically functioning person beforehand that hit their head severely and who now has significant, noticeable impairments such as difficulty with speech, moving, their intelligence and so on.  Concussion is the same as mild traumatic brain injury.  Yes, even a “little concussion” is traumatic to your brain.  Concussions could be considered, to a degree, an “invisible disease;” one where you cannot look at someone from the outside and know that there are impairments within that are impacting their function and their life.

Concussions frequently occur in sports, but can occur in any situation where there are rapid movement changes causing the brain to move back and forth within the skull, or if there is a direct blow to the head.  Even mild brain injuries have lasting effects on your brain tissue itself and the chemical composition within your brain.  Concussions can impact us physically, mentally, behaviorally, and emotionally, so it is imperative to seek out care and appropriate treatment for the long term health and success of your brain and your overall well-being.

Common causes:

• Motor vehicle accident

• Whiplash 

• Sports injuries

• Falls (at work, playgrounds, etc,)

• Physical violence and abuse

Signs and symptoms:

• Headache 

• Loss of conscious (only in 10% of cases)

• Dizziness, nausea, vomiting 

• Sleepiness or difficulty sleeping 

• Balance difficulties

• Vision changes

• Sensitivity to bright lights, loud noises

• Ringing in the ears

• Difficulty reading, watching TV, driving

• Brain fog

• Feeling forgetful or issues with short term memory

• Neck pain and stiffness 

• Changes in mood

• Restlessness 

Younger individuals typically recover more quickly from concussions as compared to their middle-aged and aging adult counterparts.  In someone who is otherwise healthy, concussion symptoms in a child or young adult will typically resolve in a few weeks or less, however if you have ever experienced a prior concussion, are aging, have other conditions impacting your physical health, then it can potentially take months to years to feel like you have returned to your pre-concussion state.  Post concussion syndrome is diagnosed when concussion symptoms persist for weeks or months after the initial injury.  Second-impact syndrome is caused when someone with a recent concussion experiences a second one before the initial one has fully healed.  Here are a couple of examples: 1) An athlete gets a concussion during a sporting event, plays and is hit again on the head; 2) Someone gets a concussion from whiplash in a car accident, and days later falls at home due to symptoms and hits their head again.  Research shows that if someone experiences second-impact syndrome, there is a 100% chance they will have permanent damage. A 100% terrifying statistic if you ask me.  In addition, there is a 50% chance they will die from complications associated with the subsequent concussion.  This is why IT IS SO IMPORTANT to prevent a follow up injury from occurring. 

Physical therapists are educated in screening and treating your vestibular system for things like balance deficits and dizziness after a concussion, as well as assessing and treating your vision system for muscular control, sensory impairments, and the ability for your eyes to work together.  We even know how to test the nerves in your head that could have been damaged during the accident.  Often with head injuries and concussions there is a component of injury to the neck, including the muscles, ligaments or even the vertebrae in the neck.  This is another key focus of physical therapy in treating folks with concussions: working on soft tissues that can be contributing to dizziness symptoms or headaches, and guiding you to appropriately strengthen your neck.  

The most important thing after a concussion or brain injury is to do everything in your power to prevent a potential second injury. It is also crucial to receive a thorough evaluation from someone trained in concussion management, and to participate in recommended services and therapies to support your healing and recovery.  Knowing what to do and how to advocate for yourself with a head injury or trauma to the brain can be very overwhelming; find someone you trust to be your support person throughout this process.  

Have more questions about treating your concussion, managing the symptoms, or safely returning to sports and exercise? We would be happy to chat further about how Loon State Physical Therapy can be your teammate in getting you back to moving and feeling your best! Call us at (612) 405-8503 or book with us online at www.loonstatephysicaltherapy.com for an in-person or virtual appointment.

Bailey Van Oosbree, Doctor of Physical Therapy

Loon State Physical Therapy