Kristen Bozza Shea Stearney Concussions Kristen Bozza Shea Stearney

Description A concussion is a traumatic injury to the brain caused by a blow to the head or body, fall, or another injury that jars or shakes the brain inside the skull.

Parts of the nervous system Occipital lobes are affected when there is an impact in the front of the head because the brain bounces off of the skull in the back. The person will loose their eye sight temporarily or permanently. The frontal lobes are affected when there is an impact to the back of the head because the brain bounces off of the back of the skull. There is a loss of lingual functions and the person will be confused and have amnesia.

Cause Concussions are caused by injuries that shakes or jars the brain. There are many ways to get a concussion. Some injuries include: fights falls playground injuries car crashes bike accidents sports (especially football, hockey, boxing, soccer, skiing,and snowboarding)

Symptoms There are Four categories of concussions: Thinking and remembering Not thinking clearly, Not being able to concentrate, Not being able to remember new information Feeling slowed down Physical Headache Fuzzy or blurry vision Nausea and vomiting Dizziness Sensitivity to light or noise Balance problems Feeling tired or having no energy Emotional and mood Easily upset, angered, or sad Nervous or anxious More emotional Sleep Sleeping more or less than usual Having a hard time falling asleep

Treatments If someone may have a concussion, they need to go to the doctor. Some patients can return home, but they need to be monitored for warning signs. Others have to stay at the hospital to be watched. Bed rest, ice(to relieve pain and reduce swelling), and a mild pain reliever may be prescribed

medicine There is not really any medicine for concussions, but a mild pain reliever can be prescribed.

Expected outcome Short-term effects: Headache lasting between 1 or 2 weeks- months after the concussion dizziness, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sleeping, or problems doing certain types of activities such as reading Nausea and vomiting Long-term effects: Concussions are known to be cumulative (it’s easier to get a concussion once you have already gotten one) long-term memory loss, psychiatric disorders, brain damage, and other neurologic problems