Concussions

How concussions happen:

• the brain consists of a soft tissue and is surrounded by Spinal fluid
• The skull protects the brain
• the brain has enough room to move around inside the school
• sometimes the brain can bang against the skull

• This action bruises the brain
• it tears the blood vessels
• this injures the nerves inside the brain

Concussions can affect any part of the nervous system.

When diagnosing concussions doctors test balance, cordination, nerve function, and reflexes.

Depending on the severity of the concussion a concussion can actually change the way the brain works.

Richard Smayda says, "A concussion is an immediate but reversible traumatic paralysis of the nervous function of the brain."

Symptoms:

• symptoms can be subtle and may not be noticable at first
• they can last for weeks or even longer depending on how much damage was done to the brain

The most common symptoms are:

• headache
• amnesia (almost always involves the memory of the impact that caused the concussion)
• confusion

Other symptoms include:

• temporary loss of consciousness
• dizziness
• ringing in the ears
• nausea
• slurred speech
• fatigue

There are some syptoms that can be delayed by hours or days after the injury:

• Concentration and memory complaints
• Irritability and other personality changes
• sensitivity to light and noise
• sleep disturbances
• psychological adjustment problems and depression
• disorders or taste and smell

It is very common for infants and young children to have head trauma, but it is harder to tell because they cannot communicate how they feel. Some signs are:

• tiring easily
• irritability
• change in eating or sleeping patterns
• lack of intrest in favorite toys
• Loss of balance

The brain needs time to heal after a concussion.

You can tell a person has recovered when their symptoms stop.

When recovering from a concussion a person might feel better but their balance and cordination could still be off.

Repeating concussions can cause lasting brain damage.

Concussions can be caused by:

• a blow to the head or body
• a fall
• any injury that can cause the brain to move in the skull.

Here are some examples:

Experts now say that people can sustain a concussion doing anything that gives a jolt to the brain. It doesn't have to be a hit to the head.

When the brain is jolted the nerve cells are stretched and wretched in response to a sudden acceleration or deceleration.

Two things can happen to the nerve cells:

If the "jolt" of the brain is strong enough the cells internal structures can be damaged or they can even die.

The less severe "jolts" can "dump all their chemical messengers in a kind of mini seizure."

When a person gets one concussion they are more susceptible to get a second concussion.

There have been other studies that have shown long term differences between people who have had a concussion and people who havent.

Works Cited

"Concussions." KidsHealth - the Web's Most Visited Site about Children's Health. Web. 30 Jan. 2012. <http://kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/aches/concussion.html>.

"Everything You Need to Know about Concussions | Men's Health News." Men's Health Magazine : Men's Guide to Fitness, Health, Weight Loss, Nutrition, Sex, Style and Guy Wisdom. Web. 30 Jan. 2012. <http://news.menshealth.com/the-truth-about-concussions/2011/09/16/>.

"What Happens to the Brain during a Concussion?: Scientific American." Science News, Articles and Information | Scientific American. Web. 30 Jan. 2012. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=what-happens-to-the-brain>.

Concussions