Concussions can range from minor to severe. Anytime a person takes a blow to the head, they can be in immediate danger of serious and lasting brain injury. Head injuries can be confusing because the damage often cannot be seen. To determine how serious it is, a medical evaluation for the treatment of head injuries is always recommended. Depending on how severe your head injury was, you may experience either short or long-term effects.
Concussions are cumulative and recovery from a traumatic brain injury can be daunting. This means that each time you have a concussion it is easier to get another concussion and the short and long-term effects of each repeated concussion can become more severe. Even one concussion can lead to serious short-term and long-term effects. Most concussions are not too serious, but as discussed above, even one can have lasting consequences and impact a person’s quality of life.
Short-Term Concussion Effects
A strong impact on the skull is what causes concussions, which are head injuries. The CDC reports that over 30% percent of traumatic brain injuries lead to death. What is even more frightening about catastrophic head injuries is the unfortunate repercussions families must face.
There are symptoms you can detect early on to aid your loved one in recovery. Lasting a few hours to a few weeks – these symptoms may appear immediately after the blow or trauma leading to the concussion or may appear after a few days or weeks.
11 Physical Symptoms of a Short Term Concussion:
- Headaches
- Vertigo
- Change in sleep patterns
- Lightheaded
- Tinnitus (Ringing in ears)
- Coma
- Blurred vision/seeing stars
- Being dazed
- Nausea/vomiting
- Difficulty with mobility or coordination
- Loss of consciousness
11 Emotional Symptoms of a Short Term Concussion:
- Depression
- Mood swings and changes in personality
- Fear of future harm
- Feeling helpless to protect self and family
- Frustration
- Overarching anxiety
- Guilty
- Feeling easily overwhelmed
- Apathetic
- Suicidal thoughts
- Aggressive behavior
Long-Term Concussion Effects
Experts emphasize that minor brain injuries symptoms can last up to one to six weeks. Concussion Symptoms that are diagnosed to be from a long-term concussion are far more severe and can last for months or even years.
Even though long-term post-concussion symptoms can affect your personal or academic life, medical professionals say that there is an immense amount of hope in recovery.
Multiple Long-Term Effects of Traumatic Brain Injuries:
- Long-term memory loss
- Emotional distress
- Slowing of some types of movements
- Depression
- Increased possibility of suicide attempts
The Levels of Severity for Brain Concussions
Not all concussions are at the same degree of severity. Experts have placed concussions in different categories based on the amount of damage and amount of pain that is endured after the head injury. Concussions have been put into three different grades.
3 Grades of Concussions:
Grade 1: This category is characterized by the manor of the concussion and usually results from minor car accidents or are sports injuries. Side effects from a grade 1 concussion can involve disorientation or slight loss of memory. These types of symptoms can last from 15-30 minutes.
Grade 2: Being unconscious is a primary symptom of this type of concussion. A person suffering from a grade 2 concussion can be unconscious for a total of five minutes. Grade 2 concussion symptoms can last from 15 minutes-24 hours.
Grade 3: Individuals who suffer from a grade 3 concussion must seek medical attention immediately. This concussion can also cause a person to experience amnesia for more than a day. If a grade 3 concussion is not tended to then it can possibly lead to second impact syndrome.
What to Do after You Suffered a Concussion
A traumatic brain injury can, and often does, lead to permanent brain damage. Concussions can also lead to serious physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms.
Research suggests that the detrimental effects of even one concussion may linger for 30 years or longer in a person’s life. The implications of repeated concussions are even more serious. There are measures you can take to properly care for and prevent any further damage to the brain after a concussion.
5 Measures to Take after Suffering from a Concussion
- Avoid any activity for the time being: Suffering from a concussion can be serious, but suffering from a concussion and not waiting for it to heal could be fatal. The best thing to do is to abstain from any vigorous physical activity.
- Make sleep a priority: The brain recuperates after sleep. In the duration of time when your brain is healing it may even be beneficial to take naps. Avoid distractions such as television or phones that can prevent you from having a restful night.
- Don’t push yourself mentally: Not only do you need to take precautions physically when you suffer from a brain injury but you need to not over-exhaust your brain either. Reading or studying hard material can slow down the recovery process. If you are a student speak to your instructor to adjust your assignments.
- Be careful with increasing your heart rate: If the brain is recovering from a concussion it’s suggested not to raise your heart rate. The reason is since the cardiac system and the nervous system are connected, their simultaneousness affects each other negatively and positively. If the heart rate becomes overstimulated this could lead to the brain being overstimulated which slows down the healing process.
- Use your best judgment: If there is an activity such as drinking alcohol or medication that worsens your head pain avoid those activities at all costs. Remember that the brain is one of the most fragile organs of the body so it should be treated as such.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can post concussion syndrome be permanent?
Most victims of brain concussions fear that the damage inflicted by concussions can be permanent. Studies show that only 15% of people suffer from permanent damage after a minor head injury. The period in which a person can be relieved from any concussion-related symptoms can be as soon as one to six weeks, but activity should be limited in order to speed up the recovery process.
What are the effects of concussions later in life?
The shocking part of concussions is that even though the symptoms such as constant headaches and dizzy spells may disappear, the brain will never really be 100% back to its original state. If the concussion was diagnosed to be a major blow to the head, a victim could even lose the use of motor skills or can suffer from Alzheimer’s disease later on in life.
Is there a way to prevent concussions?
Sadly because concussions can be spontaneous there is not a clear way to prevent them. For example, NFL players have helmets to protect them from life threatening brain injuries but repeated hits to the head could cause a player to suffer from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) over lengthy periods of time. The NFL has reported that one in four football players will end up with brain damage.
The most advice experts can lend is to perform neck strengthening exercises so it could prevent the skull from snapping backward or forward.
Seeking Qualified Brain Injury Lawyers
If you have experienced a concussion or other severe brain injury due to the negligence or criminal behavior of another individual, you may be entitled to compensation as a result of the injury. Call a traumatic brain injury lawyer to discuss your rights.
The experienced California head injury lawyers of Bisnar Chase have been fighting for victims of traumatic brain injuries for more than 40 years. Concussions may seem minor, but without extensive medical evaluation, concussions can turn out to be severe.
Bisnar Chase has recovered more than $800 million in settlements and verdicts for our clients. You or your loved one should not have to suffer due to someone else’s negligence. Our experienced injury attorneys have taken the most complex of cases and will be there for you and your family from beginning to end.
If you or someone you know have suffered a traumatic brain injury and needs legal help please call (800) 561-4887 for a free consultation. The experienced trial lawyers of Bisnar Chase will fight for you.
Call (800) 561-4887 today for a no-hassle, free case consultation with no obligations.
