Introduction
Heads up, sports fans. When it comes to concussions, the stakes are higher than ever before. As the seriousness of concussions becomes more widely understood, doctors are seeing an increase in patients who’ve suffered from them and their long-term effects—and they’re learning that there’s no such thing as a “minor” concussion. Say’s Dr.John Manzella, here’s what you need to know about this serious medical condition:
Concussions are more common than you think.
It’s easy to assume that concussions are a problem for professional athletes, but the truth is that they’re much more common than you think.
In fact, according to the CDC, nearly 1 in 3 Americans has experienced a sports-related concussion in their lifetime. While this number may seem high, it actually represents an improvement over past years; as recently as 2012 only about 1 in 5 Americans experienced a sports-related concussion during their lifetimes. This means that while we still have work to do on preventing and treating concussions across all levels of play—from professional leagues like the NFL down through youth football leagues like Pop Warner—progress is being made toward reducing their prevalence in society overall.
Concussions damage more than the brain.
If you’ve ever had a concussion, you know that the effects can be long-lasting and serious. If you’re experiencing headaches, dizziness or nausea after a head injury, this article is for you.
Concussions can cause a lot of symptoms besides just headaches and dizziness—they can make it hard to remember things or even give you trouble walking in a straight line.
When in doubt, sit them out.
The take-home message here is that concussions are serious. They can be fatal, they can cause long-term damage, and they are difficult to diagnose. When in doubt, sit them out.
If you think you have a concussion, don’t play through it. Get it checked out by a doctor.
Concussions are serious. They can leave you with long-lasting effects that can seriously impact your quality of life. If you think you might have a concussion, don’t play through it—get it checked out by a doctor.
If you’re not sure if you have a concussion and need some help deciding whether or not to see a doctor, use this helpful guide:
- Do I have any visible signs of injury?
- Does my head feel like it’s ringing or buzzing?
- Do I feel nauseous or dizzy?
- Is my vision blurry or double visioning when looking at objects close up (like text on a phone)?
If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” then get checked out by one of our doctors! If the answer is “no,” then maybe wait before going in for examination; sometimes symptoms develop later than others so give yourself some time before panicking about things that may not be related at all.
Conclusion
In conclusion, concussions are a serious issue. And although there is no clear answer as to why they are happening more frequently, the fact remains that they are. So if you think you might have a concussion or if someone tells you that they think they might have a concussion, don’t play through the pain or ignore it. Seek medical attention immediately!
