| A concussion is an injury to the brain that results | | | | concussion and sometimes not. In the following |
| from an impact to the head. They are not | | | | instances, it is a good idea to contact a medical |
| inherently life-threatening but they can cause | | | | professional but an ambulance ride to the hospital |
| problems both short-term and long-term. Any | | | | might not be necessary. When contacting the |
| injury that includes bleeding under the skull or into | | | | doctor, it is important to provide as much |
| the brain is not a concussion; concussions are | | | | information as is possible for him or her. The |
| closed-head injuries. | | | | doctor will advise home care, set up an |
| Like any other injury, concussions exist in varying | | | | appointment to see the patient, or direct the |
| degrees of severity. Mild concussions might have | | | | person to go to an emergency room. |
| no loss of consciousness or, if consciousness is | | | | Situations not necessarily requiring a visit to the |
| lost, it is for a very brief time. Severe | | | | emergency room include: a person hit his or her |
| concussions frequently involve a prolonged loss of | | | | head on something hard like a tile floor or bathtub |
| consciousness and a delayed return to normal. | | | | but did not lose consciousness; mild dizziness or |
| Concussions can be caused by any significant blunt | | | | nausea occur after a head injury; loss of memory |
| force trauma to the head. This can include a fall, | | | | of the event for just a few minutes; and a mild |
| car accident, being struck on the head, or any | | | | headache with no vision disturbances. |
| other contact between a person's head and an | | | | An emergency room is necessary for any of the |
| object. | | | | following situations: severe head trauma, a fall |
| The symptoms of concussions are numerous. | | | | from more than the height of the person, or a |
| They include a loss of consciousness after trauma | | | | hard fall onto a hard surface or object. If an |
| to the head; headache, nausea, or vomiting; | | | | individual loses consciousness for more than 2 |
| blurred vision; confusion or being dazed; and goose | | | | minutes, vomits more than once, or experiences |
| eggs. In addition, an individual with a concussion | | | | extreme drowsiness, weakness, or an inability to |
| might experience a loss of short-term memory; | | | | walk, a visit to an emergency room by either |
| the injured individual might not remember the | | | | ambulance or private conveyance is necessary. |
| actual injury or the events before or after the | | | | If a person is found in a situation where it is |
| event. Also, the injured party might be | | | | suspected that he or she experienced a |
| persevering. This is repeating the same comment | | | | concussion but they are unconscious, do not |
| or question over and over, despite the question | | | | attempt to move them. They might have a neck |
| already having been answered. | | | | or back injury as well and any movement could |
| Medical help is sometimes necessary for a | | | | result in paralysis or worse. |