Chances are, you probably know someone who’s had a concussion. The college population in particular is at a higher risk because we’re often involved in activities like rock climbing, skiing, snowboarding or biking. Dr. John Breck, a member of the concussion team at Wardenburg Health Services, talks about what we need to know about concussions.
What are concussions and why should we be aware of them?
A concussion is a brain injury that occurs as a result of a jolting force to the body or the head and neck area. They alter a person’s mental status and may or may not be accompanied by a loss of consciousness, which isn’t indicative of the severity of the concussion.
Concussions are difficult to prevent because they are accidental in nature. There also aren’t any current blood tests or imaging studies that make concussions easily diagnosable, so being aware of what they are and how they happen helps with recognizing situations where one could occur.
Being able to recognize a concussion can help get people treated quickly and appropriately, which can mitigate symptoms and get people back to their day-to-day lives sooner. It also decreases the risk of re-injury; when someone is concussed, their reaction time and ability to control their body is impaired, so there is an increased risk of getting into another accident or injury.
How can you recognize if someone has a concussion?
The first thing to do is be aware of a situation where a concussion may have occurred. Noticing when someone has taken a hard fall or hit to the head is a crucial step in recognizing whether or not they have a concussion.
If you think someone may have a concussion, it’s important to stop and get them to a place where there’s no chance of further injury. From there, ask them if they feel dizzy or nauseous, if they have a headache and if they remember the fall or collision. Have them take a break and check in about how they are feeling after a few minutes. If they’re not feeling normal, they should probably stop the activity.
It’s also important to determine whether a concussion is serious enough to seek immediate medical care. A headache that worsens, drastic behavioral changes, repeated vomiting, or prolonged loss of consciousness are signs that the person should go to the ER or nearest medical facility. These red flag symptoms can be indicative of a more serious head injury.
What steps should I take when managing a concussion?
If there aren’t any red flag symptoms present, it’s still important to be evaluated by a medical professional within 24 hours, if possible. Getting the injury evaluated sooner will help with getting the proper treatment started so that recovery can happen more quickly.
If it’s not possible to get evaluated in the first 24 hours, we can still take steps to help with recovery, especially in the first 48 hours. Make sure to get plenty of rest – sleep is important for the healing process to start. Stick to a healthy diet, stay hydrated and limit light exposure, screen time and other activities that might worsen symptoms. Acetaminophen pain relievers like Tylenol are safe to take in the first 48 hours. Ibuprofen (i.e. Advil) and aspirin are blood thinners and should be avoided if there’s a chance of a concussion.
What are some of the common causes for the concussions you treat at Wardenburg?
There are a number of reasons that students come in with concussions, depending on the time of year. In the fall, when the semester is starting up again and people are adjusting to biking or skateboarding around campus, there tend to be more collision-related concussions. In college populations, and at CU especially, there are a lot of people who are involved in extreme and high level sports such as skiing and snowboarding so there tend to be people coming in with sports-related injuries. We also see people who have been involved in falls and car accidents.
About the expert
Dr. John Breck trained at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his family medicine residency at the University of Michigan, and his fellowship in primary care sports medicine at the University of Florida. Breck has worked with athletes of all levels from Olympians to weekend warriors. He enjoys working with the students at CU Boulder on a wide range of sports medicine and general medicine issues.
For more information, visit www.colorado.edu/health
Dr. John Breck, a member of the concussion team at Wardenburg Health Services.
