How do I know if I had a concussion?

Concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury that can occur after a blow to the head or a jolt to the body. These types of injuries are commonly seen in sports, but can also occur in other situations, such as falls, car accidents, and assaults. Here are some key points to understand about concussions:

  1. Symptoms: Common symptoms of a concussion include headache, dizziness, confusion, memory loss, and changes in mood or behavior.
  2. Diagnosis: A doctor can diagnose a concussion by conducting a physical exam and asking about symptoms and the incident that caused the injury. They may also perform neurological tests and imaging scans to help diagnose the injury.
  3. Treatment: Rest and avoiding activities that may worsen symptoms is the most important part of treatment for a concussion. In some cases, a doctor may also prescribe medications to manage symptoms such as headaches.
  4. Recovery time: Recovery time from a concussion can vary depending on the severity of the injury and the individual. Most people recover within a few days to a few weeks, but some may experience symptoms for several months or even longer.
  5. Prevention: To prevent concussions, it is important to take steps to reduce the risk of head injury, such as wearing protective gear during sports and using seat belts in vehicles. It is also important to seek immediate medical attention if you suspect you or someone you know has suffered a concussion.

In conclusion, concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury that can have serious consequences if not properly treated and managed. Understanding the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, recovery time, and ways to prevent concussions is crucial for keeping yourself and your loved ones safe.

Importance of a Proper Concussion Test

Have you or your loved one suffered a blow to the head during a car accident, at work, or while playing a sport? Perhaps it was a concussion after a fall. Chances are, you or your loved one who you saw lose consciousness made a trip to the local emergency room only to be sent home after a negative CT scan of the head. And chances are that you’re still suffering from symptoms like headaches, nausea, or feeling unwell overall. That’s because what you really needed from the health care facility was a concussion test which can either be a web-based concussion test online or an in-facility concussion test that ties up with concussion data online for accurate and instant concussion testing results.

You are not alone in suffering sports concussions. Most early brain injury from a concussion is missed by athletic trainers and coaches who don’t have access to baseline testing because the athletes were never screened with a brain physical. And when there is a concussion-related trip to the ER, the athlete is very often given a return to play or allowed to return to regular physical activity by an ER physician. This happens because the ER, contrary to scientific evidence, still uses a CT Scan for concussion screening. In the case of heart injury, electrical changes are sought by performing an EKG (not an X-RAY). Similarly, getting a CT Scan misses electrical injury to brain tissue. The CT Scan while helpful in ruling out bleeding inside the brain does little to screen for concussion-related brain injury – a far more common occurrence. You or your loved one could, therefore, still have suffered a brain injury from the car accident or head trauma that was missed because a concussion EEG based test was not performed.

The Problem with CT Scans

Studies have proven that routine CT Scans after head injury can still return normal results, even though the patient may still have an early brain injury that puts them at risk for long term brain damage called CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) or TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). You could even suffer from Degenerative Brain Disease, as is seen in football players and army veterans returning home from tours of duty in war-ravaged countries like Afghanistan.

Our Full Concussion Program in place and can detect these early brain injury patterns by using an FDA Approved concussion test–the same test that the US Armed Forces uses in battle.

All of our staff is trained to screen and detect concussion after head injury–whether the injury happened at work or in a car accident or while playing contact sports like soccer, football and basketball. There is only a small window period within which this can be reliably diagnosed and treated.

Prevent CTE. Prevent TBI. Don’t wait. Call us now and get tested ASAP with our advanced concussion test services!

Common Symptoms of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) and Concussion

After experiencing a brain injury or concussion, your symptoms may be subtle and may not be present or noticed at the time of injury. Symptoms may be delayed days or even weeks before they appear.

A person with a brain injury often looks and moves normally, despite not feeling or thinking normally. This is why consulting with a medical practitioner, as soon as possible after a brain injury, and receiving a concussion test is imperative to diagnosing a mTBI as soon as possible.

Some common symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury and concussion are:

  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Visual disturbances
  • Memory loss
  • Poor attention/concentration
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Dizziness/loss of balance
  • Irritability-emotional disturbances
  • Feelings of depression
  • Seizures
  • Nausea
  • Loss of smell
  • Sensitivity to light and sounds
  • Mood changes
  • Getting lost or confused
  • Slowness in thinking