Medical Procedures
Research On Concussions
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A concussion is a change in mental status caused by mechanical forces in the brain. A blow or jolt to the head can cause the brain to move within the skull. This movement causes biochemical changes in brain cells.
About 1.5 million Americans suffer from concussions each year. The vast majority of concussions occur in younger people. In fact, the average age for a first concussion is 10 years. Researchers say one third of adolescents will have a concussion before they leave high school. Young people who actively participate in organized sports have a much greater chance of enduring the injury.
There are three types of concussions, which are categorized by degree of severity and defined by the American Academy of Neurology. A Grade 1 concussion occurs when a person receives a blow to the head or suffers whiplash, without losing consciousness. Symptoms last no more than 15 minutes. Any cognitive problems that result from the concussion will disappear within 24 hours. Grade 2 and Grade 3 concussions are more serious. These concussions happen when there is a brief loss of consciousness. Symptoms typically last longer than 15 minutes. However, only one in two patients who suffer from Grade 2 or Grade 3 concussions will visit the emergency room or a doctor.
Doctors say there is no set number of symptoms that indicate a concussion, and some can take hours or even days to show up. Some common symptoms include: uneven, dilated pupils; vomiting; headache; blurred vision; slurred speech; anxiety; poor coordination and balance.
Experts say the effects of a concussion can be long-lasting. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center conducted a study to understand why some concussions pose a long-term threat. They found that the length of amnesia suffered after a concussion, not the length of unconsciousness, is the most important indicator for predicting severe, long-term damage."Most people focused on whether someone was knocked out and loss of consciousness ... We now know that amnesia, length of amnesia, is just as important, if not more important," said Mark Lovell, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Participants who had a longer duration of amnesia did not recover as well, or as quickly, as those with shorter durations of amnesia, he said.
The most important way to prevent long-term damage is to recognize when a concussion occurs, and in the case of sports, keep players who suffer concussions out of the game, he said. After suffering one concussion, the risk of more severe injury increases.
Reprinted with permission. Copyright ©2005TWEAN News Channel of Austin, L.P. d.b.a. News 8 Austin