What is a Concussion / Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)?
Concussion / TBI can occur without the individual having to lose consciousness. Often times there are no visible signs of a concussion / TBI but there may be symptoms or changes in behavior as provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and listed below:
Thinking:
- Feeling mentally foggy
- Problems concentrating
- Problems remembering
- Feeling more slowed dow
Sleep:
- Drowsiness
- Sleeping more than usual
- Sleeping less than usual
- Trouble falling asleep
Emotional
- Irritability
- Sadness
- Feeling more emotional
- Nervousness
Physical
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Balance problems
- Visual problems
- Sensitivity to light
- Sensitivity to noise
- Numbness / Tingling
- Fatigue
Physicians can significantly improve patient outcomes when concussion/ traumatic brain injury (TBI) is suspected or diagnosed by implementing early management and appropriate referral. - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
What is a Concussion / Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)?
Concussion, also called traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury to the tissues or blood vessels of the brain and/or brain stem caused by any sudden movement to the head or body that violently shakes the brain inside the skull. A blow to the head or body, a whiplash of the head and neck, a fall or other trauma may result in a concussion / TBI.
Concussion / TBI can occur without the individual having to lose consciousness. Often times there are no visible signs of a concussion / TBI but there may be symptoms or changes in behavior as provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and listed below:
Thinking:
- Feeling mentally foggy
- Problems concentrating
- Problems remembering
- Feeling more slowed down
Emotional:
- Irritability
- Sadness
- Feeling more emotional
- Nervousness
Sleep:
- Drowsiness
- Sleeping more than usual
- Sleeping less than usual
- Trouble falling asleep
Physical:
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Balance problems
- Visual problems
- Sensitivity to light
- Sensitivity to noise
- Numbness / Tingling
- Fatigue
"Physicians can significantly improve patient outcomes when concussion/ traumatic brain injury (TBI) is suspected or diagnosed by implementing early management and appropriate referral."
-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
If you are with a person suspected of just having suffered a concussion and the person demonstrates any of the following symptoms below:
- Headaches that worsen
- Looks very drowsy, can't be awakened
- Can't recognize people or places
- Unusual behavioral change
- Seizures
- Repeated vomiting
- Increasing confusion
- Increasing irritability
- Neck pain
- Slurred speech
- Weakness or numbness in arms or legs
- Loss of consciousness
Call 911 immediately.
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