Concussions are some of the worst injuries anybody can suffer due to the damage done to your brain—and it doesn’t take much to cause the injury. The NFL and other organizations continue to fund research to help understand how to treat concussions. The scary thing about them is that they can be difficult to identify and affect many different aspects of your personal health. Learn about some important concussion warning signs you need to look out for.
Mental
There are a few ways concussions can affect your thinking and memory. According to the CDC, the injury can make it difficult to think clearly and can cause things to feel slowed down. You could also have some trouble concentrating and struggle to remember new information.
Physical
You might start suffering from headaches or blurred vision. You could also be dizzy at first, which can lead to nausea or vomiting. If you start to become sensitive to light or noise, that may be a warning sign as well. Having no energy or feeling tired is another symptom many victims face.
Emotional
Your mood and emotional state could be altered after a concussion. Some ways a concussion can change your attitude include increased nervousness, anxiety, sadness, and irritability, and a greater propensity to become emotional.
Sleep
Suffering from a concussion can also affect your sleep. If you start to notice that you or someone else is sleeping more or less than usual, this may be a sign of brain damage. Struggling to fall asleep is another sign that could warrant some precautions.
Your brain is one of the most important parts of your body, so ensure its safety by wearing the necessary equipment if you are performing an activity that may be concussion-prone. Be aware of these concussion warning signs in the event of a potential injury so that the necessary steps can be taken.
You may think of football, when you hear the word “concussion” but concussions are involved in many sports and activities of daily living: baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, car crashes, bicycle crashes, falls, physical fights and more. Head injuries and concussions can cause a lifetime of cognitive problems. Researchers from UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences and the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System tracked more than one-third of a million veterans, and found that the likelihood of dementia was more than double following concussion. The researchers reported their findings in JAMA Neurology, which published May 7, 2018.
See also …
UCSF | Dementia Risk Doubles Following Concussion, UCSF Study Shows
At one point, I never thought I’d write again. I’m out the other side and never better, but so many are still suffering — going it mostly alone, and mostly in the dark. Brainstorm: How my ‘mild concussion’ became a dizzying, year-long ordeal. (Subscribers) https://t.co/97WdkVpeOx
— KathrynBlazeBaum (@KBlazeBaum) March 30, 2019
Watch VT’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s skull bounce off the court here like it’s a rubber ball. Clearly in pain. Do you leave him in to shoot? Or do remove and evaluate him for #concussion? pic.twitter.com/gFQf0w2JsO
— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) March 30, 2019
Sidney Crosby on his concussion history and the days when just going out for a walk felt like a breakthrough: https://t.co/XSrcjWDjOf pic.twitter.com/N17FOtIQLt
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) March 25, 2019
In the bottom of the 10th inning, of the Dodgers versus the Diamondbacks, Home plate umpire Scott Barry was hit in the mask with a 93 mph fastball and left the game with a possible head injury or concussion. pic.twitter.com/sNFuOYzaQE
— Major League Baseball Umpires Association (@MLBUA) March 30, 2019
