Personal Injury
Defective ProductsConcussion Symptoms May Differ With Gender
A study about brain injury to be released in the January 2011 issue of the Journal of Athletic Training finds that girls and boys may have different symptoms when they suffer from concussions. Experts fear that these differences may cause parents and coaches to miss telltale signs that the brain has been badly injured.
R. Dawn Comstock, PhD, a professor at Ohio State University and co-author of the study, stated that because male and female athletes may experience different types of symptoms and present differently to health care professionals, Not just health care professionals but also clinicians, athletic trainers, and parents and coaches all need to be aware of higher rates of nontraditional symptoms of concussions and "when in doubt, sit them out."
Statistics and Symptoms
More than 95% of all athletes of both sexes reported having headaches during their traumatic brain injury treatment. This was by far the main primary symptom and secondary symptoms tended to differ quite a bit in both sexes. More boys reported being confused or disoriented after the head injury. Many more boys also reported having amnesia as part of the concussion, while girls were much more likely to be sensitive to noise or to feel drowsy.
A surprising finding from the study was the loss of consciousness, previously considered to be a necessary component of a concussion, was actually one of the least reported symptoms. Comstock said, "It's kind of an old wives' tale now, but once it was thought that you didn't have a concussion unless you had a loss of consciousness. That used to be a widespread belief, but we know that's just not true. It's exactly the opposite." According to Comstock, because the loss of consciousness is no longer a sign of a concussion, "these gender differences become all the more important."
The study does not answer why the differences exist between the sexes during traumatic brain injury recovery. Concussion researcher Gerard A Goia, chief of pediatric neuropsychology at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC, said that one of the study's limitations is that the reporting system didn't explain about how the injuries occurred. "The presence of increased amnesia and confusion, two early injury characteristics, in the males suggest that the injuries between males and females may have been different," he said. According to Comstock, future studies will address this theory. For example, preliminary data suggests, for instances, that football players tend to get hit on the front of the head, while girls who play soccer or basketball often suffer a blow to the side of the head.
Who To Contact
If you or a loved one experiences a concussion or other severe brain injury due to the negligence or criminal behavior of another individual, you are entitled to compensation for your medical expenses and other expenses that occur as a result of the injury. Call 800-561-4887 today to speak with your best friends in the legal industry, and to find out about your rights and what your case may be worth. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.
Call a traumatic brain injury lawyer at Bisnar | Chase Personal Injury Attorneys, LLP for a free professional evaluation of your rights by attorneys who have been representing brain and other personal injury victims since 1978. You will experience award winning representation and outstanding personal service by a compassionate and understanding law firm in a comfortable environment.
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