Tips to Recover From Concussion

Introduction:

A concussion is an injury to the brain that causes temporary loss of brain function. Concussion recovery in sports medicine is the process of healing after a head injury. Most of the symptoms resolve within seven to ten days. Most athletes recover within a month after injury. Medically, it is characterized by immediate and transient loss of brain function (alteration of mental status or level of consciousness) due to trauma.

What Are the Causes?

• Direct trauma to the head- falling, getting hit, and being in an accident.

• Rapid acceleration or deceleration of the head-blast injuries.

What Are the Symptoms?

• Loss of memory, judgment, reflexes, speech, balance, and muscle coordination.

• Amnesia (a person cannot remember before and after the injury).

• Confusion.

• Headache.

• Vision disturbances.

• Dizziness or imbalance.

• Nausea or vomiting.

• Difficulty in concentrating.

• Ringing ears.

• Sensitivity to light.

When to Visit a Doctor?

• The headache does not go away.

• Slurred speech, weakness, numbness, and decreased coordination.

• Nausea and repeated vomiting.

• Seizures.

• Loss of consciousness.

• Unable to wake up.

• Symptoms last after ten to 14 days.

• Multiple concussions.

What Are the Steps to Follow if Someone Has a Concussion?

• If someone is unconscious or has a head injury, call for an ambulance first. Give basic first aid.
• Ensure the person is safe. Look for a response from the person. If there is no response, shift the person to the hospital.
• Check for a patent airway (in case of the presence of foreign material, roll the patient to the side and clear the airway, in case of the absence of foreign material, gently tilt the person's head and lift the chin for a better airway).
• Check for breathing (if the person is breathing, place them in a recovery position; if there is no breathing for ten seconds, then get emergency help).
• Start cardiopulmonary resuscitation- 30 chest compressions followed by two breaths. As soon as possible, attach a defibrillator and follow the voice prompts.
• If the person has a spine injury, do not move the person and move the person to the healthcare center nearby. If the person does not have a spine injury, place the person in a comfortable position.
• Control the bleeding by applying pressure to the wound.
• Do not allow the person immediately to return to activity even after they are well.
• Consult with a physician.

How to Diagnose?

• Physicians will question how the injury occurred, where on the head, and what symptoms are shown.

• Computed tomography (CT) scan is useful in identifying any structural defects.

What Is the Treatment Plan?

Conservative Management:

• Should take rest both mentally and physically.

• Should not drive after drinking alcohol.

• Should not take medications like Aspirin, sleeping pills, and sedative medicines.

• Should return to work after forty-eight hours if the symptom does not get worse.

What Are the Tips to Recover From Concussion?

1. Avoiding Triggers: Any activity that increases the symptoms is called a trigger. They vary from person to person. An important part of recovery is finding the trigger and avoiding them as it increases the symptoms. Avoiding triggers will reduce the symptoms and speed up recovery. When the brain becomes fatigued, it worsens the symptoms and prolongs recovery. Common triggers include- reading, studying, writing, taking notes, concentrating, noise, light, watching television, texting, working on a computer, and playing video games.

2. Rest Breaks: Fatigue is more common while recovering from a concussion. People recovering from concussions will feel better in the morning after a night's sleep. The demands of the day cause more fatigue and difficulty in completing tasks. This leads to prolonged recovery from concussion. When the person feels fatigued from doing the activity, they should stop doing it and take a rest as needed. For school-going children, studying in small increments with frequent brain rest will be tolerable.

3. Relative Rest: Rest is more important. However, there is a difference between resting and becoming sedentary. Doing light activity helps in faster recovery. A person should follow walking program guidelines for a speedy recovery.

4. Get Enough Sleep: Usually, the brain needs a good night's sleep to recover from the day's activities. When recovering from a concussion, the brain needs even more rest. The person will sleep for a longer time during the first several days after injury. After that, they may notice difficulty in sleeping. This results in delayed recovery.

What Are the Tips to Sleep?

• Avoid Napping: For the first three to five days after the injury, do not take a nap. Napping during day time affects nighttime sleep. For the first five days after the injury, they can take a nap for thirty to sixty minutes a day when they feel tired. But the nap should not extend beyond as it will affect the night's sleep.

• Follow a Routine: Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.

• Avoid Distractions: Minimize distractions like using phones, watching television, and working with computers two hours before going to sleep.

• Drink Plenty of Water: It is necessary to drink more water and keep them hydrated than usual. The person should drink water equal to half of the ounces of their body weight.

• Maintain a Balanced Diet: Maintaining a good diet plan will help them to recover faster. They should ensure that they get enough food and eat healthier. Diet should be enriched with more proteins and omega-three fatty acids. Should not consume alcohol as it delays recovery.

• Avoid Driving: The person should not drive while having the symptoms. Driving is very stimulating and causes additional risks. Physicians will help them to get rid of the problems.

• Staying in an Upright Position: It is important to sit in an upright position. The more a person lies down, the body gets accustomed to it, and it becomes difficult to resume normal activities.

• Avoiding Unnecessary Movements of Head and Neck: Avoiding unnecessary movements helps the brain to recover faster.

• Practicing Stress Management Protocol: As stress increases the symptoms, it is important to follow stress management techniques that help the brain to recover faster.

• Stress Management Includes: Exercise, relaxing muscles, deep breathing, eating well, taking breaks, talking out the problems, taking things easily, and eliminating the triggers.

Conclusion:

It is important to take rest for at least two to four weeks after an injury and before starting physical activities. The person should follow the doctor's advice and should feel free to share all the symptoms and get treated in a better way. Athletes should not return to play when they experience any symptoms of concussion. Also, athletes who suffer repeated concussions should consider ending their participation in sports.