The Short Term And Long Term Effects Of Concussion

Introduction

A concussion refers to a brain injury that occurs from a blow to the head or a violent shaking of the body, which causes the brain to move inside the cranium. The injury may be mild if the shaking or head hitting was mild, but can be critical if the brain violently moves inside the cranium; making an intense contact with the skull. MTBI (mild traumatic brain injury), MHI (mild head injury), MHT (minor head trauma) and MBI (mild brain trauma) comprise some of the names used interchangeably with concussion. Causes of mild head injuries include hard falls, sudden/ violent body shaking that snaps the head, motor accidents, close by explosions and blows to the head during contact sports such as rugby, boxing and football. Brain injuries can be prevented by wearing protective headgear, such as helmets and cushioned caps while playing or cycling, as well as removing obstacles that may cause slip and fall accidents.

Symptoms

Anyone, regardless of age and sex, can get a minor head trauma. Whereas some symptoms may indicate the presence of a concussion, these symptoms may delay. However, whether symptoms exist or not, a person/ child who gets a head injury must seek medical attention for further diagnosis, thus on time treatment. Continued rough movements of the head, after a fall or head injury, should be avoided after head trauma and during treatment to allow the brain enough time to heal. More efforts should be made to avoid recurring brain trauma.

Signs and symptoms that may indicate the occurrence of a MHI include headaches, dizziness, confusion, a feeling of pressure inside the head, loss of memory/ temporary amnesia, altered vision (blurred or double), tinnitus, sudden mood changes and abnormal sleeping patterns among others. Scratches, wounds or cracks on the head of the patient, loss of consciousness immediately after the head blow and fainting when no external factors warrant it may also indicate the presence of a mild traumatic head injury. The Mayo Clinic provides information on symptoms of a minor brain trauma.

Short term effects

Injury on the brain causes damage of brain tissues and nerves. The damage might cause temporary amnesia and severe headaches. With time, the headaches and memory loss may go away or persist. Other short term effects, lasting a few days to weeks/ months, may include light headedness, amnesia surrounding the head injury event, mood swings, fainting, altered thinking, behavior changes and abnormal sleeping patterns. The above symptoms may only occur after light blows to the head or during the initial stages of a head trauma.

Long term effects

Severe concussion effects may occur with repeated head injuries and or inadequate/ untimely treatment of an MHI. These long term effects include amnesia, dementia, behavioral changes, Alzheimer disease and Parkinson's disease among others. Schizophrenic tendencies (inability to differentiate between reality and illusions), delirium and dementia (temporal treatable madness) can result from concussions. These may lead to Alzheimer's disease (untreatable madness that deteriorates as a person's age advances) or worsen Parkinson's disease. The loss of the ability to coordinate body movements and thoughts characterize primary Parkinsonism, which occurs, mostly, on the onset of old age (from 50 years of age). MHI can worsen mental conditions, emotional wellness and behavioral tendencies.

Treatment

Luckily, concussions can be treated adequately, especially when diagnosed early. Unfortunately, most people, especially athletes and other sports' people do not take head injuries seriously, hence do not seek treatment on time. Treatment of MTBI can greatly reduce short term effects and the chances of long term effects occurring. Concussion treatment involves sufficient physical and emotional rest; to minimize head movements and give the brain sufficient time to heal. Patients need to exercise minimal physical movements as well as reduce activities that involve significant brain activity; such as work, school assignments and video games. Drugs such as acetaminophen may be used to manage MTBI symptoms, but aspirin and ibuprofen can increase brain hemorrhage and should, thus, be avoided.

Summary

Concussion, also referred to as MTBI (mild traumatic brain injury) among other names, refer to a brain injury caused by a severe head blow or fall. Concussion symptoms can be more subtle and long-lasting than simply losing consciousness or experiencing head pain. Even a mild concussion can cause a surprising array of symptoms that may linger longer than expected. Proper treatment and precautions are necessary to prevent re-injury. The CDC gives tips on simple tips of recognizing and reacting to a concussion which parents, guardians, coaches and sports people should learn.