How Do I Know if I Have Sustained a Concussion?
Concussion, also known as mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), happens with a direct head to the head or with a strong hit to the body. It’s important to understand that you do not necessarily need to hit your head to sustain a concussion and many bumps to the head will not result in concussion. mTBI occurs as a result of force to the head or body that causes sudden forward and backward or side-to-side movement that can make the brain move around the inside of the skull. The force of those movements can cause shearing of the axons—the fibers that allow neurons to communicate with each other—which can then interfere with brain function. The stretching and shearing of neurons causes a neurometabolic cascade that disrupts communication between the neurons and the brain. Your brain goes into crisis mode as excess energy is required to bring your cells back to equilibrium. This disrupts blood flow to your brain which makes it harder for your brain to get energy resulting in a plethora of symptoms that is unique for each brain.
If you have sustained an intense blow to the head or the body it is important to be aware of “red flags” or life threatening signs and symptoms. If you have any of the following you should seek immediate medical care:
One pupil larger than the other.
Drowsiness or inability to wake up.
A headache that gets worse and does not go away.
Slurred speech, weakness, numbness, or decreased coordination.
Repeated vomiting or nausea, convulsions or seizures (shaking or twitching).
Unusual behavior, increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation
Barring the presence of any of the above, there isn’t a whole lot that can be done on the medical side. Here are the current guidelines for early management.
A concussion is a functional injury that cannot be seen on imaging. The Post Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS) is the gold standard for measuring symptoms. Taking the PCSS will help to confirm if you have sustained a concussion and what next steps to take. If your symptoms are greater than a 5, physical therapy will help to alleviate your symptoms. It’s important to understand that earlier treatment is most effective. All too often, mild head injuries are overlooked or people are advised to rest and wait for their symptoms to go away. Unfortunately waiting to get treatment can result in long-term disability and an increased risk for severe mental health problems. The sooner you seek treatment, the more quickly you will feel like yourself again. A physical therapist who is trained in treating mTBI will treat the root of the problem causing each symptom vs masking the symptom. With proper physical therapy post-concussion symptoms are absolutely treatable. Although treating early is best, you can still improve no matter how long ago your injury was.
If you would like to learn more about treating your concussion symptoms, please call us: 203 822 2098 or email us at annie@happybrainpt.com
