It’s highly possible that you’ve hit your head pretty hard at some point in your life, whether it was due to a fall, car accident, daily activity, or it was sports related.
You don’t always receive a concussion when you hit your head, but it all depends on how hard the impact was. Many people go about their daily lives without realizing that they have a concussion, simply because they don’t know what it is or what signs to look out for.
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), which is caused after a blow to the head that causes your head and brain to rapidly shake back and forth.
Although concussions are not life-threatening, their symptoms can cause great discomfort and pain that need to be properly treated.
Common Symptoms of Concussions
Symptoms of concussions are different for everyone, depending on both the severity of the impact and the person themselves.
It’s important to recognize the signs of a concussion so that you are able to treat it immediately. Some common symptoms of concussions include:
- Balance problems or dizziness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Blurred vision
- Sensitivity to light or noise
- Difficulty concentrating
- Fatigue and sluggishness
Concussions are not always easy to diagnose since the symptoms may not appear immediately and can take hours, days, and even weeks to develop. Some concussion symptoms can disappear soon after the impact while others can stay for weeks.
Common Causes of a Concussion
As mentioned previously, concussions occur when a person suffers a blow to the head, causing their brain and head to quickly move back and forth.
The brain is made up of soft tissue and is surrounded by cerebral fluid that protects it from jolts and bumps.
The force of a concussion is severe enough that the brain bumps hard into the skull, potentially causing blood vessels to rupture and nerve fibers to tear.
These injuries cause the brain not to function normally for a period of time and result in the concussion symptoms people experience.
The most common causes of concussions are sports injuries, falls, and car accidents. People who play sports that involve contact are highly susceptible to concussions.
Treatment Options for Concussions
Although many people use rest as a form of treatment after a concussion, this can cause more harm than good.
You cannot know the severity of your concussion or if you’re suffering from a brain bleed without the tools and equipment that doctors have. It’s important to seek out medical attention immediately after receiving a blow to the head.
Before discussing treatment options, your doctor will ask you some questions regarding how you received the concussion and will perform a physical examination to assess what symptoms you have.
Once your injury is accurately diagnosed, you will be presented with a variety of treatment options.
There are no definitive treatments for concussions, which is why doctors use different types of therapies and medications to treat the symptoms.
Some of the most common symptoms such as balance issues and dizziness can be treated with auditory therapy.
These balance issues are caused by a disturbance in the vestibular system, which provides our brain with information about motion. Auditory therapy uses sounds to heal the part of the vestibular system so that you no longer feel dizzy.
Another popular treatment for brain injuries is vestibular rehabilitation. It’s an exercise-based program that helps restore patients’ balance and reduce dizziness.
Each concussion is different from another, so the treatment for each person will differ.
Concussion Treatment Clinic in Ottawa
Have you recently received a blow to the head and have been feeling fatigued and dizzy ever since?
Whether you have a mild concussion or a more severe one, our concussion specialists are here to help.
At Broadview Spine and Health Centre, we are fully equipped to handle any type of brain injury you may have. Our professional specialists have extensive experience in brain health as well as the training and equipment needed to diagnose and treat your concussion.
Contact us today to learn more about our different concussion treatments and book your appointment today.