Best Concussion Treatment Centre in Montreal | Orel Medical

 

What is a Concussion?

 

The most common and least serious type of traumatic brain injury is a concussion, and a sudden direct blow or bumps most often cause trauma to the head.

According to the CDC, between 2001 and 2009, an estimated 173,285 people under age 19 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for concussions related to sports and recreation activities. Other causes include Car Accidents Injury West Island Montreal, work-related injuries, falls, and fighting.

 

Concussion Causes and Risk Factors

 

The brain is made of soft tissue, and it's cushioned by spinal fluid and encased in the protective shell of the skull. When you have a blow or bump to your head, the impact can jolt your brain. Sometimes, it causes it to move around in your head. Traumatic brain injuries can cause bruising, damage to the blood vessels and nerves.

 

The result is your brain doesn't function as it should. If you've had a Concussion Clinic in West Island Montreal, vision may be disturbed, you may lose equilibrium, or you may fall unconscious. In short, the brain is confused.

 

 

Some things increase your risk for a concussion, including:

• Falls, particularly in children and older adults
• Playing a contact sport
• Lack of proper safety gear or supervision for contact sports 
• Car, motorcycle, bicycle, and other accidents that cause a blow to the head
• Being hit, struck with an object, or other physical abuse
• Military service
• An earlier concussion
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Concussion Symptoms

 

Concussions can be tricky to diagnose. Though you may have a visible cut or bruise on your head, you can't see a concussion. Signs may not appear for days or weeks after the injury. Some symptoms last for just seconds; others may linger.

 

Concussions are relatively common, and some estimates say a mild brain trauma is sustained every 21 seconds in the Canada But it's important to recognize the signs of a concussion so you can take the proper steps to treat the injury.

 

A person may display some common physical, mental, and emotional symptoms following a concussion. Signs of traumatic brain injury include:

 

• Confusion or feeling dazed
• Clumsiness
• Slurred speech
• Nausea or vomiting
• Headache
• Balance problems or dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to noise
• Sluggishness
• Ringing in ears
• Irritability or other behavior or personality changes
• Difficulty concentrating
• Loss of memory
• Fatigue or sleepiness
• Loss of consciousness
• Forgetfulness such as repeating yourself  
• Slowed response to questions
• Problems with sleep
• Depression
• Issues of taste or smell
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Concussions in Children

 

Because their heads are disproportionately large compared to the rest of their body, concussions often occur in young children. As kids enter adolescence, they experience the rapid height and weight gain, making them more prone to accidents than adults.

 

If a child has a concussion, an adult should monitor them for the first 24 hours. Don't give medications, including aspirin, which may cause bleeding to a child without talking to a doctor first.

 

It's essential to watch for behavioral changes. Young children, mainly, may not communicate what they're feeling full, so it is critical to watch them closely. Symptoms of concussions in children include: 

 

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Problems with balance
• Upset stomach or vomiting
• Fatigue
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Mental fogginess or slowed thinking
• Problems with memory, concentration, or focus
• Feeling more irritable, sad, nervous, or emotional than usual
• Problems with sleep
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Types of Concussions

 

Doctors rank, or grade, the severity of concussions based on things like loss of consciousness, amnesia, and loss of equilibrium. There are three grades:

• Grade 1: Mild, with symptoms that last less than 15 minutes and involve no loss of consciousness
• Grade 2: Moderate, with symptoms that last longer than 15 minutes and affect no loss of consciousness
• Grade 3: Severe, in which the person loses consciousness, sometimes for just a few seconds
• Concussion Diagnosis

 

Most people with concussions fully recover with appropriate treatment. But because trauma can be severe, safeguarding yourself is essential. Here are a few steps to take:

Seek medical attention. A health care professional can decide how severe the concussion is and whether you require treatment.

If you have grade 1 or grade 2 concussions, wait until symptoms are gone before returning to normal activities. That could take several minutes, hours, days, or even a week.

If a person has lost consciousness, a grade 3 concussion needs a doctor's immediate evaluation and care. They'll ask how the head injury happened and discuss the symptoms. The doctor may also ask you simple questions such as "Where do you live?" What is your name?" or "Who is the president?" The doctor asks these questions to evaluate memory and concentration skills.

The doctor may test coordination and reflexes, which are both functions of the central nervous system.