4 Signs of A Concussion
Like a broken ankle or cancer in the body, the symptoms of a concussion may not rear their ugly head until days after the incident. To be clear, a concussion is an injury or trauma to the head or brain. In many cases, victims of a mild concussion may not realize that they have a head injury for several days. They will not go to the doctor if they believe that their injury is merely a headache.
Mild traumas can happen regularly in jobs where a person might suffer ongoing impact to his or her body. Below are four symptoms of a concussion. If you are experiencing any or all of these symptoms, then please contact Cooper Family Medical Center immediately to have tests performed.
Short-Term Loss of Consciousness
If a patient suffers a severe impact to the head, he or she may lose consciousness. Unconsciousness may only occur for a few seconds or it can extend to several minutes. If you witness a concussion and the victim is unconscious, call an ambulance immediately. The person is in need of urgent medical attention from ER doctors.
Appearing Dazed or Confused
Seeing stars after your head has been hit is not just something that happens in cartoons. A direct impact to the cranium or brain area can cause a victim to appear daze or confused or completely ‘out of it’. Symptoms can include confusion or fogginess, amnesia about part or all of an incident, slurred speech, or a delayed response to questions from those around.
Long-term effects can include the inability to concentrate or remember events just minutes after they happened. A person who is delusional may also exhibit irritability or become irrational for no apparent reason.
Vomiting and Nausea
A swelling in the brain can cause vomiting and nausea after a concussion. The greater the impact, the greater the swelling; thus, the greater the chances are that a victim will vomit or feel sick. The vomiting centers in the medulla area of the brain are triggered when something hits the head area of a victim. The centers can be triggered any number of ways, but the severity of the impact will determine how much a person vomits and for how long.
Sleep Disturbances and Fatigue
Like many other major injuries, a concussion can disrupt sleeping patterns. Injury to the head can also produce long-term fatigue. The victim may feel this way for several days or weeks after the accident. Since most patients need recovery time after a concussion, it is wise to listen to your body if you feel tired. Get some rest and don’t be in any hurry to get back to your normal routine. If you engage in too much activity too soon, you could aggravate the concussion and prolong recovery time.
If you feel that you may have suffered from a recent trauma to the head, then contact Cooper Family Medical Center! We provide comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of all type of head and brain injuries including concussions.
Cooper Family Medical Center has two convenient locations in Pascagoula and Biloxi, Mississippi. We offer quality MediSpa and medical services to our valued patients and strive to keep you looking and feeling your best! Our entire staff is here to care for YOUR needs! If you are interested in becoming a new patient, please call us today at 228-762-2044 ext. 302 or visit us online at www.CFMedCenter.com. We look forward to seeing you!