Concussion

Concussions are brain injuries that can affect how you think, learn, act and sleep. At Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic, our concussion specialists help you recover so you can safely return to your usual activities.

What is a concussion?

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that is usually mild and temporary. It occurs when your head hits an object or a moving object strikes your head.

The impact causes your brain to move inside your skull, stretching and injuring nerves and blood vessels. Chemical changes then take place that temporarily affect how well your brain works.

Causes of concussions

Common causes of concussions include:

• Collisions with people or objects during physical activities
• Falls
• Military combat or blasts from weapons
• Physical assaults
• Vehicle or bike accidents

Concussion symptoms

Signs of a concussion may vary from person to person. Most people don’t pass out, but you may see stars or only all white or black immediately after an impact. Symptoms tend to be most severe within 48 hours of the brain injury.

Common symptoms of a concussion include:

• Balance problems or dizziness
• Confusion
• Difficulty concentrating, focusing or remembering things
• Double or blurry vision
• Feeling sluggish, foggy or unusually irritable
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Sensitivity to lights or noise
• Sleep issues
• Slowed reaction time

Warning signs of a severe TBI that requires immediate medical care include:

• Convulsions or seizures
• Muscle weakness on one or both sides of your body
• One eye pupil that’s larger than the other
• Repeated vomiting
• Slurred speech
• Trouble recognizing people or places
• Unusual eye movements

Concussion diagnosis

A primary care provider, sports medicine doctor or nerve specialist (neurologist) can diagnose and treat concussions. Your provider will conduct a physical exam and ask about your symptoms.

Your doctor may also perform one or more of these tests:

• Imaging tests, such as a brain MRI or CT scan, to look for bleeding in your brain
• Neuropsychological (concussion) test to check for issues with memory, thinking and brain function
• Vision test to check for dilated pupils and vision changes

Concussion risk factors

Anyone can get a concussion. Factors that increase your risk of concussion include:

• Being younger than age 4 or older than age 65 (due to increased fall risk)
• Having a high-risk job, such as construction workers, military personnel and emergency responders
• Participating in high-risk sports, such as boxing, cheerleading, gymnastics, hockey, football, rugby and soccer

Concussion prevention

Actions that may help lower your chances of getting a concussion include:

• Always wearing a seatbelt, and strapping your child into a car safety seat, booster seat or seatbelt, when you drive
• Clearing your home of clutter and trip hazards like rugs
• Using a ladder to reach high-up items instead of standing on chairs, tables or countertops
• Wearing protective headgear while participating in contact sports, riding a motorcycle or bicycle, or doing other activities that put you at risk of head injury

Concussion treatments

Most concussions get better with rest. Depending on the severity of the brain injury, it may take months for your brain to fully heal. During this time, you may need to limit physical exercise and activities that require a lot of focus. These activities may include sports, computer work and video games.

You may also benefit from care at a concussion clinic or sports concussion management program. These programs bring together experts in concussion management who help support your recovery and safe return to regular activity.