- The
most common injury in athletics
- In
high school football up to 20% of players sustain a concussion
- Once
a concussion has occurred, a player becomes 4-6 times more likely
to sustain a 2nd concussion
- Repeated
concussions can cause long term impairments in cognitive function
- Concussion
is brief disturbance of neurologic function caused by trauma
Signs and Symptoms of Concussion
- Signs
– vacant stare (dazed), slow to answer questions, disoriented,
slurred speech, incoordination, memory problems, loss of
consciousness
- Symptoms
– early (minutes to hours) – headache, dizziness, nausea and
vomiting, muddled thinking, unaware of surroundings
Late (days to weeks) – persistent
headache, lightheadedness, poor memory, east tiredness, sleep
disturbance, blurred vision
Concussion
grading scale
·
Grades assigned 1,2,3
·
Depends on loss of consciousness, length and duration of
symptoms
·
Grade 1
No LOC, momentary confusion, concussion signs and symptoms
resolve in15 min
Most common type, referred to as having bell rung
·
Grade 2
No
LOC, momentary confusion, concussion signs and symptoms last more than
15 minutes, memory loss for events preceding hit
·
Grade 3
LOC
for any period of time
Rules
for return to play
·
Grade 1
Remove
from contest, may return if symptoms clear within 15 minutes
2nd
grade 1 concussion same game remove from game
·
Grade 2
Remove
from game, disallow return that day, evaluate by physician
May
return to practice only after 1 full week without symptoms
·
Grade 3
Transport
from field to ER for examination
May
return to practice only after 1 full week without symptoms
Prolonged
LOC withhold from game for 2 weeks
Implications
of Concussions
·
Serious risk associated with return to play before
symptoms of first concussion have resolved.
2nd blow to the head can result in death from herniation of the
brain. Called Second
impact syndrome.
·
Since 1992, 17 cases of death from second impact
syndrome.
·
Evidence that repeated concussions result in cumulative
brain damage.
·
Repeat concussions 4-6 times more likely after 1st
concussion, often requiring less severe blow.
Classic example was Troy Aikman in his last year with the
Cowboys.
For
For appointments, call Hoffman Family
Practice Associates at 817-916-5180.
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