Concussions: Not Just A Risk For Pro Football Stars
2/2/2016
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When the world tunes in to football on February 7, they'll see some of the finest players on Earth engage in a fast-paced, hard-hitting, competition – one with stakes so high that combatants on both sides will push their bodies to the limit. To help mitigate the risk of injury, football at the professional level is closely monitored by a team of trained medical professionals ranging from athletic trainers to team medical doctors and independent neurologists.
When a player gets hurt, scores of trained eyes immediately identify the incident, assess the problem, and begin treatment. This is especially true when a player exhibits signs of a concussion, the most common injury in the professional ranks, and also potentially the most life altering.
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) created by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or by a hit to the body that causes the brain to move rapidly back and forth. It's usually not difficult to tell when a professional football player might have sustained one, but for people outside the athletic arena, concussion symptoms can be slow to develop and easy to ignore, which could lead to serious health problems if left untreated.
"In the short term, look for symptoms like headaches, vomiting, confusion, memory issues, and imbalance," said Michael Cho, MD, a neurosurgeon at MidHudson Regional Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network. "These can evolve over time, so a person should be monitored over at least a 24-48 hour period if suspected of having a concussion."
If you believe you have a concussion, it is important to seek the care of a trained medical professional as quickly as possible. Your doctor will perform a battery of tests to check cognitive function, balance, memory, and other key indicators of brain injury. They'll also be able to look for bleeding or blood clots that can be life threatening if left untreated.
"At MidHudson Regional Hospital, patients showing signs of a head injury are rapidly evaluated by a practitioner and receive a detailed neurological exam, including imaging, if the patient is at a high risk of intracranial bleeding," said Mark Papish, MD, Medical Director of the Department of Emergency Medicine at MidHudson Regional. "Most patients' symptoms can be managed conservatively with medications and follow-up care under the supervision of a trained professional."
While anyone can suffer a concussion, children, even those that don't play sports, are especially susceptible. In fact, the vast majority of concussions happen off the playing field as a result of car or bicycle accidents, playground roughhousing, and even minor falls. As symptoms of a concussion can take 24 to 72 hours to develop, recognizing your child has suffered a brain injury can be difficult.
"Without question, seek medical care for your child if there is a loss of consciousness, no matter how brief," said Dr. Cho. "Also look out for an altered mental status and other worsening neurologic signs and symptoms. Parents should not ignore the possibility of a concussion, as there can be potential serious short and long term consequences in some cases."
Though most kids recover quickly from concussions, some symptoms like headaches, memory loss, and trouble concentrating may linger for several weeks or months. It's important to watch for these symptoms and contact your doctor if they persist. Often, after suffering a concussion, children need further evaluation and treatment.
Concussions are a complicated injury that is difficult to diagnose, and that's true if you're an adult or a child, a professional athlete or a regular person just going about your day. If you feel you or a loved one may have suffered one, even if symptoms aren't present, it's best to consult your doctor or visit the fully equipped emergency department at MidHudson Regional Hospital, the area's only Level II trauma center, for the opinion of a trained professional.