A concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head, or from a blow to the body that causes the head to snap back and forth.
Concussions vary in severity, but they all disturb how nerve cells in the brain function, which temporarily interferes with the way the brain works. As a result, a concussion can affect memory, judgment, reflexes, speech, balance, coordination and behavior.
Concussions can occur without loss of consciousness. In fact, most people who get a concussion never lose consciousness. Because signs and symptoms can be subtle, many people may suffer a concussion and never realize it.
Fortunately, most concussions are mild and people usually recover fully. Initial treatment involves mental and physical rest. Concussion management involves an individualized approach and can include multiple disciplines. Symptoms usually resolve within a few weeks but can persist longer.
Unfortunately, the number of Americans diagnosed with concussions is growing, most significantly in adolescents, according to a major study by the University of California San Francisco. A possible explanation for this is increased participation in sports.
Although some sports have higher rates of concussion—such as football, ice hockey and soccer—concussions can happen in any sport or recreational activity. Notably, female athletes, particularly soccer players, suffer concussions at a significantly higher rate than their male counterparts, according to a 2017 by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Lack of proper diagnosis and management of concussion can result in serious long-term consequences, including the risk of brain damage, coma or death. That’s why it is imperative that anyone—of any age—who appears to have sustained a concussion should be medically evaluated right away and carefully monitored over time. And that athletes never return to sports while they still exhibit signs and symptoms of concussion.
Why Choose Cooper to Diagnose and Treat Concussion
Cooper is home to one of the first comprehensive sports-concussion programs in the Delaware Valley, ensuring that adults, adolescents and children are thoroughly evaluated, properly diagnosed and treated, and monitored for safe return to sports and activities. You can count on us for:
- A multidisciplinary team approach: Ours is the only program of its kind in South Jersey with a full complement of highly skilled and experienced adult and pediatric medical and surgical specialists, including:
- Emergency medicine and trauma physicians
- Sports medicine physicians
- Neurologists
- Orthopaedists
- Orthopaedic surgeons
- Neuro-psychologists
- Physiatrists
- Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT): This leading-edge computerized brain-function test measures brain processing, speed, memory and visual motor skills, helping physicians to identify the effects of a concussion and the severity of injury. Cooper is one of the first hospitals in the region to become a credentialed ImPACT consultant, and remains one of the few to offer this highly specialized test.
- ImPACT scores are instrumental in helping the physician determine when a patient can safely return to sports or other activities
Causes and Risk Factors for Concussion
If you experience a hard blow to your head and neck or upper body, or are violently shaken, it can cause your brain to skid back and forth against the inside of your skull. This results in what’s called a concussion, a type of injury that affects brain function.
There are a number of activities and factors that may increase your risk of a concussion, including:
- Falling and hitting your head
- Playing a high-risk sport, such as hockey, football, soccer, rugby, boxing or other contact sport
- Participating in high-risk sports without wearing appropriate safety equipment
- Being involved in a motor vehicle, bicycle or pedestrian accident
- Being a victim of physical abuse
- Having had a previous concussion
Concussion Symptoms
Concussion symptoms don't always appear right away, and they may be subtle. Initial symptoms can include:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Temporary loss of consciousness
- Sensitivity to light or noise
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of memory (amnesia, usually forgetting the event that caused the concussion)
- Ringing in the ears
- Vision changes
- Slurred speech
- Disorientation/confusion
Symptoms also can last for days, weeks or longer. Later symptoms can include:
- Fatigue
- Problems with concentration or memory
- Sleep disturbances
- Irritability
- Sluggishness
- Personality changes
- Depression
- Taste and smell disorders
An athlete should never return to play or vigorous activity while showing signs or symptoms of a concussion, and should be medically evaluated by a healthcare professional trained in evaluating and managing concussions to determine when it’s safe to resume play.
There are potential complications of concussion, including.
- Vertigo: Some athletes can experience a sense of dizziness or the room spinning for days, week or months after a traumatic brain injury
- Headaches: In some patients, headaches may last a week to a few months after a brain injury
- Post-concussion syndrome: Several symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness and thinking difficulties, may persist for weeks or months after an injury
- Cumulative effect of multiple brain injuries: People (particularly athletes) who have more than one traumatic brain injury over time may be at greater risk of developing lasting, progressive brain damage
- Second impact syndrome: In rare cases, suffering a second concussion before the symptoms of a first concussion have gone away may result in fast and often-fatal brain swelling
Preventing Concussion in Sports
There are various steps you can take to help prevent or minimize the risk of experiencing a sports-related concussion, including:
- Wear protective gear during sports: Ensure that your equipment fits properly, that it’s well-maintained and that you are wearing it correctly
- Wear the right protective headgear during high-risk recreational activities such as skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, cycling, motorcycling, ATV-riding
- Practice good sportsmanship: Follow the rules of the game
- Limit the amount of contact during practice to minimize the risk of being hit
- Strengthen the neck and shoulder muscles: Strength-training that works these areas can help the body absorb the shock of a blow to the head
Contact Us
To learn more about the sports medicine services available for treating concussion at Cooper or to request an appointment, please call 800.8.COOPER (800.826.6737).