How can you recognize a concussion. Concussion: how to recognize and what to do

A concussion is a serious injury that usually occurs when you hit your head. A concussion can result from a fall, physical abuse, an accident while riding a bicycle or motorcycle, a collision between pedestrians, and during activities. contact species sports such as rugby or football. A concussion is usually temporary, however, if a person has characteristic symptoms he should see a doctor. Repeated concussions can lead to serious brain damage, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). While a concussion can cause frightening symptoms, in most cases it goes away after a few days.

Steps

Part 1

Characteristic symptoms

Determine if the victim has lost consciousness. Sometimes a concussion can be accompanied by loss of consciousness. This is the most obvious sign that a person has a concussion. If the victim lost consciousness after hitting his head, he needs urgent medical attention.

Pay attention to slurred and unclear speech. Ask the victim simple questions: “What is your name?”, “Do you remember where you are?”. If a person is slow to respond, gets confused, does not understand what they are being asked about, or does not answer questions, they may have a concussion.

Find out if the victim is confused and remembers what happened. If a person has a missing look, he is confused or does not remember where he is, this may indicate a brain injury. If the victim is dazed, does not remember what happened, or has lost his memory, he may have a concussion.

Pay attention to nausea and vomiting. If, after a blow to the head or other incident, the victim vomits, especially recurring, this usually indicates a concussion. If there is no vomiting, ask the person if they feel sick or if they feel upset stomach - this can also be a symptom of a concussion.

Look for an impaired sense of balance and poor coordination of movements. A concussion often results in impaired motor function: for example, the victim may not be able to walk in a straight line or catch a ball. If a person has similar violations and slow reaction time, maybe he has a concussion.

Ask the victim if they have typical symptoms. These include: headache, blurred vision, dizziness. If the headache continues for more than a few minutes, it may be a sign of a concussion. Blurred vision, "stars in the eyes" and/or dizziness and blurred vision may also indicate a concussion.

Keep a close eye on the victim for 3-4 hours. If you suspect a person has a concussion, watch them for a few hours. Do not leave the injured person alone as they may require emergency medical attention. Try to have someone nearby and observe his behavior for at least a few hours after the incident.

Determine if the victim has hypersensitivity to light and sound. A concussion is often accompanied by increased sensitivity to bright light and loud sounds. If a person winces and complains of pain or a deafening noise at bright lights or loud noises, they may have a concussion.

Look for changes in eating and sleeping patterns. Pay attention to behavior that goes against habits and habits this person. If the victim has lost his appetite or eats more than usual, he may have a concussion. If a person has trouble sleeping or sleeps longer than usual, this may also indicate a concussion.

Find out if the victim has problems with memory or concentration. Even if a person demonstrates a clear mind immediately after the incident, symptoms may take some time to appear. If the victim seems distracted, unable to concentrate, or has difficulty remembering what happened before or after the incident, this may indicate a concussion.

Pay attention to the frequent crying of the child. If you suspect that a child may have had a concussion, look to see if he is crying more than usual. Although adults and children experience many similar symptoms, children may cry frequently due to pain and discomfort, as well as an inability to communicate their problems in another way.

Part 3

Health care

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience seizures, difficulty breathing, or liquid secretions from the ears. If the victim does not respond or does not wake up after losing consciousness, has a worsening headache, incessant vomiting, blood or fluid from the ears and nose, convulsions, shortness of breath, or blurred vision, contact the emergency room immediately. emergency medical care. These symptoms may indicate very serious brain damage.

If you suspect a concussion, see your doctor within 1-2 days of the incident. Even if not a medical emergency, a head injury should be treated by a qualified physician. If you suspect someone has a concussion, take them to the doctor within the first two days after the incident.

Seek immediate medical attention if symptoms worsen. As a rule, over time, the symptoms of a concussion weaken. Otherwise, if the headache worsens and/or the victim feels increasingly tired, a doctor should be consulted without delay. These signs may indicate a more serious injury.

Small bruises and bumps may not be accompanied by a concussion if the victim maintains a clear mind and does not complain of characteristic symptoms. However, in this case, it is better to observe the person, whether he has more severe symptoms such as vomiting, slow speech, and spatial disorientation.
Be sure to keep an eye on the victim for a long time after the injury to make sure they don't get worse. Give the person a rest, but at the same time call out to him from time to time and ask questions to control.
It can take hours to weeks to recover from a concussion. The specific time depends on the health of the victim and the severity of the injury.

Warnings

If the casualty is not treated immediately, a serious head injury can lead to a coma.
The severity of a head injury can be difficult to assess. However, if the casualty is unconscious, call the emergency room . It is necessary to exclude the risk of cerebral hemorrhage, which may not appear immediately. Symptoms of a slow hemorrhage may appear several days after the person has been injured.
Repeated brain injury can lead to cerebral edema, disability, and lethal outcome. If not properly treated after the first concussion, the risk of repeated concussions increases.

One of pathological conditions, which is often found in medicine is a concussion. Explicit pathological changes it does not cause in the brain tissues, but a person has complaints, and some signs and symptoms that indicate functional disorders in the medulla. How to recognize a concussion?

The cause of the concussion medulla there may be an injury, a blow, a fall, and even too sudden a movement. Often concussion occurs in car accidents, even when there is no direct impact (impact) in the head area, when falling on the coccyx. It is believed that at this moment there are microscopic changes that cause symptoms of concussion and worsening of the patient's condition.

A concussion occurs after bumps and falls, as well as in an accident.

Degrees of the disease

Injuries of this type can cause loss of consciousness, but this does not always happen. For example, in young children, concussion is rarely accompanied by loss of consciousness, while older people, on the contrary, for a long time may not come to their senses. Loss of consciousness is the main symptom of a third-degree concussion.

How do you know if you or someone close to you has a concussion? There are a number of signs and complaints that make it possible to identify it, they will be described below. It should be borne in mind that in young children, symptoms may not appear immediately, so after an injury, you should consult a doctor so that he can check the reflexes and carry out if necessary. additional research.

If the concussion proceeds without loss of consciousness, then the patient in the first minutes after the injury experiences stupor, he cannot understand where he is, answer the questions of others, sometimes there is memory loss (amnesia), which is a symptom of concussion of the second degree. First degree concussion, or slight concussion, is characterized only by temporary disorientation in space (stupor) and neurological symptoms which can be found later.

signs	Degrees of concussion
signs	Lung	Medium	heavy
Stunned	immediately after injury, usually at least 15 minutes	can be observed for several hours	after loss of consciousness, with any other symptoms
Amnesia	missing	retrograde or antegrade amnesia	after loss of consciousness, retrograde or antegrade amnesia occurs
Loss of consciousness	missing	missing	there is a loss of consciousness, short-term or long-term.

Clinical picture

Immediately after the injury, a state of stupor occurs (stupor), if the patient has lost consciousness, then stupor is observed when he comes to. The patient complains of weakness, dizziness, nausea, a single vomiting is possible. The face is pale, the pulse is frequent. The patient is unable to quickly answer questions, in some cases does not remember what happened to him (amnesia). There is a violation of coordination, it is difficult for the patient to stand on his feet.

Dizziness may occur immediately after injury

Later, other signs of concussion develop - lethargy, drowsiness, sleep disturbance. Sometimes there are flushes to the face, dizziness, tinnitus. Intolerance to noise, light (photophobia) and severe headaches are often observed. It is difficult for a person to concentrate, there is depression, irritability. This condition can last from 2-3 days to several weeks, which is more common in the elderly. It depends on the severity of the concussion and the treatment.

When after the injury there are no symptoms inherent in concussion, that is, the symptoms could not be determined, there was no loss of consciousness, or the person believes that everything is in order with him and does not complain about anything, in the first hours he should remain under observation, since many signs may appear later.

Symptoms and signs

How to identify a concussion? The fact is that the symptoms of a concussion in adults do not differ much from the symptoms in a child or teenager, but the child cannot always correctly explain, tell what he feels. Some symptoms are often associated with the patient's complaints, others can be determined by examination. Consider the most common manifestations of concussion.

Patient's complaints	Causes
Headache	More often it is pulsating or arching, it can be localized at the site of impact (counterstrike) or be widespread. It is not removed when taking analgesics. May be exacerbated by noise, bright light. Occurs due to irritation individual sections brain or enhancement intracranial pressure.
Nausea, vomiting	Vomiting usually occurs immediately after an injury, is associated with irritation of the cells of the vomiting center, which is located at the bottom of the fourth ventricle, due to a sharp movement of the cerebrospinal fluid in this area or a violation of cell connections. Nausea may last longer.
Dizziness	Frequent sign concussion is caused by disturbances in the vestibular apparatus and tissues of the cerebellum. Often accompanied by impaired coordination, unsteady gait, slowness of movement, which can be seen in a child if he cannot explain his condition.
Coordination disorders	Sometimes it is difficult for the patient to immediately perform even the usual actions, he seems to be inhibited, this is due to a violation of the conduction of impulses from the brain cells to the muscles. Often there is a tremor of the small muscles of the upper limbs.
Noise in ears	Caused by changes in area auditory nerve, more often when it is compressed, during an increase in intracranial pressure.
Pain in the eyes	It can occur when reading, watching television programs, working with a computer. Often accompanied by headache. Children who liked to watch TV or play games often become lethargic and do not even want to watch their favorite shows. There is twitching or tremor eye muscles when looking to the side.
Paleness, redness of the skin, sweating	Caused by changes in the autonomic nervous system, loss of connections between cells, increased intracranial pressure. May also be accompanied by increased or slower heart rate, delayed pupillary response to light, which causes photophobia.
Irritability, depression	Occur when the cells responsible for emotions are irritated. The mood often changes, the patient becomes capricious.
Inability to concentrate	The patient does not want to do anything, it is difficult for him to concentrate on work, even to do what he loves. Associated with disruption of connections between stem cells and subcortical structures.
Sleep problems	Most often associated with a decrease in the nutrition of brain cells, due to increased intracranial pressure, refer to late signs with concussion.
Amnesia	May be explicit or hidden. Sometimes the patient does not remember what happened, this is retrograde amnesia. Antegrade can be determined by asking you to repeat a series of several words after you, the patient does this with difficulty.

In addition, there are also neurological symptoms, which are determined by the doctor. It is not necessary that the patient had all these complaints and symptoms. The diagnosis is based on a combination of certain signs.

Diagnostics

When making a diagnosis, the doctor takes into account the history data (how the injury occurred, whether there was a loss of consciousness), the patient's complaints, conducts a survey to determine the concentration of attention, detect signs of amnesia. He may ask questions about what preceded the injury, what day, month, or ask to do a few simple tests. For example, say some numbers in reverse order repeat a series of words. Such tests allow you to determine the violation of memory, concentration and help identify concussion and orient your further actions(call an ambulance) at home.

After that, it is carried out neurological examination sick. Symptoms that may indicate a concussion include:

Symptom	How to determine
Pupillary reaction to light	The pupils may be slightly constricted, dilated, the reaction to light is sluggish. Usually they are symmetrical, if there is unevenness, then this indicates a more serious injury, bruise, hematoma.
nystagmus	Usually horizontal, when looking away. A person cannot see an object without turning their head in its direction.
Asymmetry of tendon, skin reflexes	This is usually determined by a neurologist, for example, knee jerks of both lower extremities must be equally pronounced, different reflexes, or pathological ones, indicate a violation.
Gurevich's oculostatic phenomenon	If you ask the patient to look up, then he deviates and begins to fall back, if you look down, then forward.
Symptom Romberg	In a state of standing with shifted soles, eyes closed and with arms extended forward, there is a tremor of the fingers, a tremor of the eyelids.
Signs of a violation of the autonomic nervous system	Change in heart rate, instability of blood pressure, blanching or redness of the skin.
Asymmetrical facial muscle movements	If you ask the patient to smile, the levels of the corners of the mouth may be asymmetrically located.
Palmar-chin reflex	When stroked stroking the palm at the base thumb there is a contraction of the muscles of the chin.
Symptoms of irritation of the membranes of the brain	Rigidity neck muscles, it is usually mild and passes quickly.
Divergence of the eyeballs	When you try to concentrate, for example, carefully follow the finger of your hand with your eyes, there is a divergence of the eyeballs, and nystagmus is also determined.

2-3 symptoms and anamnesis data are enough to make a diagnosis, but first you need to make sure that there are no more serious damage brain (contusion, fractures, hemorrhages and others). For this, various additional studies are used: X-ray, computed or magnetic resonance imaging, encephalography, lumbar puncture.

For many people, a concussion goes away without treatment, but at home, after an injury, it is necessary to provide the patient with peace, and if his condition worsens, be sure to consult a doctor.

Brain concussion is a violation brain function after trauma, which is not associated with vascular damage. It is caused by the brain hitting inner surface cranium, while the processes of nerve cells are stretched.

A concussion is the mildest of all types of traumatic brain injury. Doctors do not have a common opinion about the mechanism of development of this disease. One thing is known for sure: a concussion does not cause a violation in the structure of the brain. Its cells remain alive and are almost not damaged. But at the same time, they do not perform their functions well. There are several versions that explain the mechanism of the disease.

The links between nerve cells(neurons).
Changes occur in the molecules that make up brain tissue.
There is a spasm of cerebral vessels. As a result, the capillaries do not bring enough oxygen to the nerve cells and nutrients
The coordination between the cerebral cortex and its pillar structures is disturbed.
The chemical balance of the fluid that surrounds the brain changes.

This type of traumatic brain injury is the most common. This diagnosis is made by 80-90% of patients who turn to doctors with head injuries. Every year in Russia, 400,000 people are hospitalized with a concussion.

Men are twice as likely to get a concussion than women. But the representatives of the weaker sex are more difficult to endure such injuries and suffer more from the consequences.

According to statistics, more than half of cases (55-65%) of concussion occurs in everyday life. 8-18 years old dangerous age when there are a lot of concussions. Most cases during this period are due to increased activity children and adolescent bravado. But in winter, when there is ice on the street, everyone is equally at risk.

If you consult a doctor in time, you can successfully cure a concussion in 1-2 weeks. But, if you do not pay attention to the temporary deterioration of the condition, then in the future this can lead to serious complications: the risk of alcoholism increases 2 times and the probability of sudden death increases 7 times.

Causes of a concussion

Trauma is always the cause of a concussion. But it doesn't have to be a headbutt. For example, a man slipped on ice and landed on his buttocks. At the same time, his head did not touch the ground, but his consciousness became clouded. He can't remember how he fell. Here is the most common picture of "winter" concussions.

A similar situation occurs in the passengers of the car with a sharp start, braking or accident.

And of course, cases when a person received a blow to the head should be alerted. It can be a domestic, industrial, sports or criminal injury.

Parents of teenagers should be especially careful. Boys often get hit on the head with books or briefcases from active classmates, take part in fights, ride on railings, or demonstrate their courage and dexterity in company. And that rarely comes without hard landings or even headbutts. Therefore, be attentive to the health of your children and do not dismiss their complaints of headaches and dizziness.

Signs and symptoms of a concussion

Symptoms	Signs of violations	Origin mechanism
Immediately after injury
Stupor	State of stupor, confusion. The muscles are tense, the expression frozen on the face.	Emotions and body movements are inhibited. This is the result of a disruption in the transmission processes nerve impulses in the cerebral cortex.
Loss of consciousness	A person does not react to stimuli, does not feel anything. This can last from a few seconds to 6 hours depending on the strength of the blow.	Violation of the transmission of impulses along the processes of nerve cells. Thus, the body reacts to the lack of oxygen, which arose due to impaired blood circulation in the brain.
Single vomiting	The contents of the stomach are ejected through the mouth. At the same time, breathing quickens, saliva and tears are released. Sometimes vomiting can be repeated.	The reason is circulatory disorders in the vomiting center and in the vestibular apparatus.
Nausea	Unpleasant sensations, pressure, heaviness in the epigastric region.	Such sensations are caused by the excitation of the vomiting center. This education is in medulla oblongata. When struck, it becomes irritated.
Dizziness	Occurs at rest and increases with a change in body position.	Caused by impaired blood circulation in the vestibular apparatus.
Increased or slow heart rate (less than 60 or more than 90 beats per minute)	It feels like a rapid heartbeat or a feeling of weakness due to the fact that the organs are lacking oxygen.	The phenomenon is associated with an increase in intracranial pressure, compression vagus nerve and cerebellum.
Paleness, which is replaced by reddening of the skin of the face (the game of vasomotors)	Redness of the skin of the neck and face is abruptly replaced by pallor.	Violation of the tone of the autonomic nervous system. As a result, small arteries in the skin periodically dilate or narrow.
Headache	Throbbing pain in the occiput or at the site of injury. Pressive and bursting pain in the whole head.	Unpleasant sensations are associated with an increase in intracranial pressure and irritation of sensitive receptors on the membrane of the brain.
Noise in ears	Sensation of hissing or ringing in the ears.	Due to the increase in pressure in the skull, the greater ear nerve is compressed. This causes a malfunction of the hearing aid. As a result, a person, as it were, hears noises due to irritation of the auditory receptors.
Pain on eye movement	Reading or looking away causes discomfort in the eyeballs or in the temples.	Unpleasant sensations appear due to increased intracranial pressure.
Impaired coordination of movements	A person gets the impression that the body does not obey him well, the movements are performed for a long time, as if they are late.	These are the consequences of a violation of the transmission of nerve impulses from the cerebral cortex along the nerves to the muscles, as well as poor circulation in the vestibular apparatus.
sweating	Sensation that palms are cold and wet. Droplets of sweat appear on the face and on the body.	The sympathetic nervous system that controls work internal organs, too excited. She makes sweat glands work hard and produce more sweat than usual.
In the first hours after injury
Constriction or dilation of both pupils	The pupils react normally to light, and the person does not feel anything unusual. But the doctor may notice that the reaction of the pupils is incorrect. If the pupils different sizes, then this indicates a more serious brain injury than a concussion.	Intracranial pressure has an effect on the centers of the autonomic nervous system, which regulate the contraction of muscles that constrict or expand the pupil.
Eye trembling when looking away	When a person looks to the side, his eyes begin to tremble. It is difficult to see objects without turning your head towards them.	This phenomenon is associated with the loss inner ear, vestibular apparatus and cerebellum. These structures cause the eye muscles to contract rapidly. As a result, the victim cannot focus his eyes.
Asymmetry of tendon reflexes	These reflexes are checked by a neurologist. He strikes the tendons with a hammer, in response there is a bending of the arm in elbow joint or legs at the knee.	Normally right and left limb bend the same way. Increased intracranial pressure impairs brain function and nerve fibers, which are responsible for the performance of reflex actions.
Symptoms remote in time (appear after 2-5 days)
photophobia and hypersensitivity to the sound	Ordinary sounds or normal level Illumination is perceived inadequately by a person. He is annoyed not only by loud, but also by moderate sounds.	Due to the fact that the reflex constriction of the pupils is impaired in a person after an injury, bright light causes discomfort to him. Disruption of the nerves that are responsible for hearing aid, causes irritation from sounds.
Depression, moodiness and irritability	Bad mood, unwillingness to move, work and have fun.	Irritability is based on a violation of the connections between nerve cells in the cerebral cortex, which are responsible for emotions.
sleep anxiety	Difficulty falling asleep, nocturnal or early awakenings.	Sleep problems are associated with unpleasant emotions that a person experiences, with stress and overexcitation, as well as with impaired blood circulation in the brain.
Amnesia	Memory loss. The person cannot remember what happened immediately before the injury. Usually, the harder the blow, the more a long period falls out of memory.	The process of remembering and reproducing events in memory takes place in several stages. If at the moment of injury this chain is broken, then some events may not be deposited in long-term memory.
Lack of concentration	A person cannot concentrate on what he is doing in this moment. He is often distracted, becomes inattentive, switches to other activities.	Poor concentration is caused by a disruption in the connection between the cerebral cortex and subcortical structures.

How is a concussion diagnosed?

If at least one of the listed signs appears after a head injury, then it is imperative to contact a traumatologist, and preferably a neurologist. Doctors have special criteria that allow them to diagnose a concussion and distinguish this injury from more serious ones.

Criteria for making a diagnosis
During the examination of the patient, the doctor finds out the circumstances under which the injury occurred, listens to the complaints of the victim, and conducts an examination. 1-2 symptoms are enough for a neurologist to make a correct diagnosis. All of these signs of concussion are rare. Some of them are mild or appear over time.

If necessary, the doctor will prescribe additional examinations: electroencephalography (EEG) , computed tomography brain, echoencephalography, dopplerography of cerebral vessels, spinal puncture.

How can I help with a concussion?

If a head bruise or after another injury that can cause a concussion, it is necessary to carefully monitor the person's condition. If at least one of the symptoms of a concussion appears, then it is imperative to call an ambulance or take the victim to the emergency room.

Before the arrival of the ambulance, the person must be provided with complete rest. It must be laid on a bed or any flat surface. Place a small pillow under your head. Loosen tight clothing (tie, collar) and allow access fresh air.

When a person is unconscious, it is better not to move him. Any movement can cause the bones to move when the spine is fractured.

If the victim is unconscious, then he should be placed on his right side. bend left leg and hand. This position will help him not to choke on vomit and provide free access of air to the lungs. It is required to monitor the pulse and pressure. If breathing is lost, then you will have to do a heart massage and artificial respiration.

If there are wounds on the head, then it is necessary to treat them with peroxide and bandage or fix the bandage with adhesive tape.

Cold should be applied to the site of impact. It can be a bag of frozen berries wrapped in a towel, a plastic bottle or a heating pad with cold water. The cold causes the blood vessels to constrict and this helps reduce brain swelling.

Treatment of a concussion is carried out in a hospital. You will have to spend at least 5-7 days in the hospital, observing bed rest. After that, the person is discharged. But 2 more weeks will last ambulatory treatment at home. It is not advisable to read, watch TV, actively move.

Degrees of concussion

Some doctors believe that such a diagnosis as a concussion does not have a division into degrees. Others argue that this is wrong. After all, one person may not lose consciousness, but get off with a headache and nausea. And the other can stay unconscious for 5-6 hours. Therefore, in the United States and other countries, it is customary to distinguish three degrees of concussion:

First degree (mild). It is put when there is no memory loss, there was no loss of consciousness. Signs of a concussion persist for up to 15 minutes. This is lethargy, severe headache, nausea.
Second degree (moderate). There was no loss of consciousness, but there was amnesia - loss of memory. Symptoms persist from 15 minutes to several hours: lethargy, pulse disturbances, blanching and redness of the skin, nausea, vomiting, headache.
Third degree (severe). The patient had loss of consciousness from a few seconds to 6 hours. Symptoms can be anything.

Currently, in our country, such a classification is practically not used.

How is a concussion treated?

People with a concussion are treated in a neurological and, in severe cases, in neurosurgical department. The first 3-5 days it is necessary to strictly observe bed rest and the prescriptions of doctors. If this is not done, then complications may develop: seizures similar to epileptic ones, impaired memory and thinking, attacks of aggression and other manifestations of emotional instability.

During the stay in the hospital, doctors monitor the patient's condition. Treatment is aimed at improving brain function, relieving pain and getting the person out of stressful condition. For this use various groups medicines.

Painkillers: Analgin, Pentalgin, Baralgin, Sedalgin.
To relieve dizziness: Betaserc, Bellaspon, Platifillin with papaverine, Microzer, Tanakan.
Calming agents. Preparations for plant-based: motherwort tincture, valerian. Tranquilizers: Elenium, Phenazepam, Rudotel.
To normalize sleep: Phenobarbital or Reladorm.
To normalize blood circulation in the brain, they combine vasotropic (Cavinton, Sermion, Theonicol) and nootropic drugs(Nootropil, Encephabol, Picamilon).
For improvement general well-being: Pantogam, Vitrum
To raise the tone and improve brain function: tincture of ginseng and eleutherococcus, Saparal, Pantocrine.

At proper treatment a week after the injury, the person feels normal, but it is necessary to take medication from 3 weeks to 3 months. Full recovery occurs in 3-12 months.
A person stays under dispensary observation neurologist or therapist. It is necessary to visit a doctor at least once every 3 months. This reduces the risk of complications after a concussion.

Sequelae of a concussion

Previously, it was believed that the consequences after a concussion occur in 30-40% of people. But today, only 3-5% of victims suffer from complications. This decrease in indicators is due to the fact that earlier patients with brain contusion also fell into the number of people with concussion. And this traumatic brain injury is more severe and often causes complications.

The consequences of a concussion are more likely to occur in those people who already had diseases of the nervous system or in those who did not follow the doctor's prescription.

Early consequences concussions are not common. They are associated with the fact that edema and destruction of brain cells continue for 10 days after the injury.

Post-traumatic epilepsy can occur up to 24 hours and beyond after an injury. It is associated with the appearance in the brain of an epileptic focus in the frontal or temporal region of the brain.
Meningitis and encephalitis, which cause purulent or serous inflammation brains are now very rare. They should be feared for more serious head injuries a few days after the bruise.
Postconcussion syndrome (from Latin after a concussion) - this term combines many disorders: excruciating headaches, insomnia, absent-mindedness, fatigue, memory impairment, sound and photophobia. The mechanism of their appearance is associated with a violation of the passage of a nerve impulse between the frontal and temporal lobe brain.

Long-term effects of concussion

They appear 1 year or 30 years after the injury.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia- disorders of the autonomic nervous system, which lead to disorders in the work of the heart and blood vessels. They are caused by disturbances in the nuclei of this part of the nervous system. As a result, all organs, including the brain, suffer from insufficient blood circulation.
Emotional disorders depression, bouts of increased activity or aggression appear without visible reasons, increased irritability and tearfulness. The mechanism for the development of such consequences is associated with disorders in the cerebral cortex, which are responsible for our emotions.
Intellectual Disorders- a person's memory deteriorates, concentration of attention decreases, thinking changes. These manifestations can lead to personality changes and dementia. Violations are associated with the death of nerve cells (neurons) in different areas bark hemispheres brain.
Headache- they are caused by a violation of blood circulation in the brain after an injury or overstrain of the muscles of the head and neck.
Post-traumatic vestibulopathy- a disease caused by a malfunction of the vestibular apparatus.

Those parts of the brain that process the information coming from it also suffer. It is manifested by frequent dizziness, nausea, vomiting. Often this changes the gait, it becomes spanking, as if a person is walking in too big shoes.

All the consequences of a concussion should be an occasion to consult a neurologist. Self-treatment by using folk remedies or consultations of a psychologist will not bring relief. To get rid of the consequences of an injury, it is necessary to undergo a course of treatment with drugs that improve brain function and restore connections between nerve cells.

Prevention of the occurrence of consequences

During the first year after injury, it is advisable to avoid strong physical and mental stress so as not to cause complications. Nice results gives special complex physiotherapy exercises, which normalizes the flow of blood to the brain. It is necessary to observe the regime of the day and to be in the fresh air a lot. But here are the straight lines Sun rays and overheating are not desirable. Therefore, it is better to refrain from traveling to the sea during this period.

Traumatic brain injury is one of common causes visits to a traumatologist. A concussion is a mild type of TBI that varies in severity. It is set based on the condition of the victim. Trauma occurs due to mechanical impact. Most often occurs with a sharp blow to the head during falls, accidents, activities dangerous species sports. Due to the prevalence of the problem, it is important to know how to identify a concussion, to be able to provide the victim timely help before the arrival of the doctors.

How to identify a concussion in an adult

Based on the symptoms manifested, the issue of hospitalization of the victim and the amount of treatment is decided. Therefore, it is important to be able to identify at home the symptoms that signal an injury. In an adult, these signs are as follows:

Fainting. Concussion is characterized by loss of consciousness, which can be short-term (a few seconds) or long-term (several hours). This reaction is caused by circulatory disorders. The more severe the damage received, the longer the fainting will last. After regaining consciousness, a person may not show a reaction to external stimuli and be in a stupor. In this case, slow speech, inhibition is observed.
Dizziness. This symptom is present in any degree of concussion. It is accompanied by headache various forms: pulsating, sharp, dull, pressing. There are spots before the eyes, noise in the ears, disturbing the victim for some time. Pain is usually localized in the occipital region or at the site of impact.
Nausea and vomiting. You can determine a mild concussion by the absence of vomiting in the victim. In other cases, with moderate and severe, vomiting can be single or continue in the first hours after the injury. This reaction is reflex, of central origin.
Change in pulse. Due to increased intracranial pressure, the victim's pulse may become faster or slower (more than 90 or less than 60 beats per minute at rest).
Change in skin color. Due to head injury blood vessels disturbed, they can contract and expand uncontrollably. This makes the affected person's skin tone very pale or red.
Problems with coordination. At first, it is difficult for a person to stand up and keep his balance. It feels like the body is out of control. This situation is normal in the first few hours after the impact. If such symptoms persist for several days, this indicates a moderate or severe degree of damage. Loss of coordination is explained by impaired blood circulation and malfunctions in the activity of nerve impulses responsible for the transmission of information.
Change of pupils. The pupils can also determine the presence brain injury. Dilated or severely constricted pupils are one of the symptoms of a concussion. If the pupils are of different sizes, this good reason consult a doctor immediately. Mild asymmetry indicates a severe degree of concussion and deep damage to the brain tissue. If persistent asymmetry is observed, this is an indicator of intracranial hemorrhage resulting from an injury.

Know! An important sign concussion is a change in tendon reflexes. If, when struck with a hammer, the reaction of the limbs is different, this also indicates severe damage.

There are delayed symptoms that appear within a few days after the injury. These include:

insomnia;
amnesia;
problems with concentration;
sensitivity to light and sound.

Some symptoms may appear for several years after a concussion.

How to identify a concussion in a child

It can be difficult to identify a concussion in a child due to age, especially if he cannot yet talk about his feelings. In addition, it is for children that the risk of injury increases significantly due to their mobility and carelessness. Symptoms vary depending on the age of the child. The older he gets, the more pronounced the consequences of the injury.

How Do Doctors Diagnose Concussion in Children? The clinical picture differs depending on the age group:

Infants. Usually, during a concussion, the baby does not cry, but only groans or sobs slightly. This can be confusing for parents. Therefore, the defining symptoms in the baby are pallor, vomiting, unwillingness to eat, bad dream or severe drowsiness. Toddlers usually do not lose consciousness from a blow. Due to increased intracranial pressure, the fontanel may protrude.
Children before school age. Preschoolers can lose consciousness due to a blow, a fall, after which they complain of headaches, vomiting. Their pulse changes arterial pressure. The child does not sleep well, he has rapid fatigue, sweating, tearfulness.
School children and adolescence. They can already explain the nature of their symptoms on their own. Most often it is dizziness, headaches, nausea, difficulty with coordination of movements. Children may experience short-term amnesia.

Important! In children of school age and older, immediately after the injury, there is such a symptom as temporary blindness, which disappears within a few hours. It is still not known for certain why this phenomenon develops.

First aid

Call for the victim ambulance, before their arrival, you need to watch him all the time. This is necessary to provide assistance in case of vomiting or seizures.

The procedure is as follows:

The person must be carefully placed in horizontal position so that the head remains slightly raised.
If he is unconscious, you should lay the victim on his right side or turn his head. So he can breathe normally, and vomit and saliva will not enter the respiratory tract.
In the presence of open wounds you need to treat them with an antiseptic and apply sterile dressing. Something cold is applied to the site of injury.
It is necessary to provide the patient with access to fresh air by opening the window, eliminate all loud sounds and dim the light. In the first hours after a concussion, the victim may develop a special sensitivity to irritating external factors.

Who to contact

Concussions are usually treated by a neurologist or neurosurgeon. It is especially important to consult a doctor if the patient's condition worsens, new symptoms appear. However, initially the victim may contact a traumatologist to check the integrity of the skull bones after injury. First aid is provided in the emergency room, if a concussion is suspected, x-rays, computed tomography or MRI are prescribed. This will determine the extent of the damage received.

Yes, by x-ray the doctor will assess the integrity of the bones of the skull, MRI will show severe complications- brain injury intracranial hemorrhage, ischemic injury. From the picture, the doctor will be able to check the condition of the bones and brain tissues. After that, the traumatologist will tell you where to go for further treatment. In the hospital, the victim is comprehensively examined and, if necessary, hospitalized.

Brain concussion - dangerous injury, which may lead to serious consequences in future. Because of its prevalence, you need to be able to provide first aid to victims. This will help a person not only alleviate the condition while waiting for a team of doctors, but also save his life.

A concussion is a condition in which there is a functional disruption of interneuronal connections. According to statistics, this disease ranks first among craniocerebral injuries. Violation of functions in concussion is reversible.

Symptoms of a concussion

In order to diagnose a concussion, you need to know how it manifests itself. First of all, given state always preceded by trauma. The most common causes are: car accidents, falls, bumps. A concussion can develop in both adults and children.

Temporary loss of consciousness

In some cases, loss of consciousness is not observed, but there is its oppression (sopor). The person is, as it were, in a stunned state, does not immediately answer the questions posed, does not orient himself in space.

Amnesia

Often, upon regaining consciousness, the patient does not remember the period of time that occurred after the head injury. In some cases, the patient cannot say what exactly caused the concussion. Similar state called temporary amnesia. In most cases, memory returns after a few hours.

Headache

It may be diffuse or localized. More often, pain is felt in the place that has been injured. Sometimes - it spreads over the entire surface of the head.

Dizziness

This symptom occurs immediately after consciousness returns to the person. Due to dizziness, unsteadiness during gait, tinnitus is noted.

Nausea and vomiting

This manifestation of concussion is not always observed, but in most cases. Nausea occurs after the restoration of consciousness. It is not related to food intake, as it has a "central" (brain) character. Vomiting is usually single.

Nose bleed

It can occur immediately after recovery of consciousness or within a few weeks after the injury.

These symptoms develop in the first hours after a head injury. After that, functional disorders persist for a long time. They are manifested by sleep disorders, increased sensitivity to bright lights and loud sounds, fatigue and decreased concentration.

You can determine if a person has a concussion on their own. However, it is necessary to see a doctor to make sure the diagnosis is correct and get recommendations for restoring brain functions.

Diagnosis of concussion at home

A concussion is easy to diagnose once you know the symptoms. With a head injury in an adult and a subsequent short-term impairment of consciousness, this disease can be suspected.

However, these disturbances do not always indicate concussion. The main criterion for pathology is the relief of all symptoms within 1-2 weeks. If the manifestations of the disease do not stop, then this indicates that the problem is more serious.

The methods of "home" diagnostics include the following studies:

Observation for the general condition of the patient. It is worth paying attention to the presence of these symptoms, the degree of their severity, the duration of these manifestations.
Neurological inspection. Naturally, such studies are best carried out in outpatient or stationary conditions. However, this possibility is not always available. Neurological disorders associated with concussion include the following signs: constriction or dilation of the pupil on the side of impact, cannot be fully retracted eyeball aside (may be accompanied painful sensations), unsteady gait.

Neurological studies that can be done at home include: carrying out a finger-nose test, Romberg's test, and determining nystagmus. A finger test is performed in the following way: the patient is asked to close his eyes and stretch his arms in front of him. After that, the patient should touch index finger up to the nose. Repeat this step with both hands.

Romberg's test is performed in the same position. With eyes closed and arms outstretched in front of him, the patient should walk in a straight line for several steps. This is necessary to assess the gait, to determine whether there is unsteadiness when walking, instability. Sometimes, with concussion posterior divisions nystagmus is observed in the brain - trembling of the eyeballs.

To check this, it is necessary to draw some object (pen, pencil) or finger in front of the patient's eyes, first to the right and then to the left. In the presence of nystagmus, the pupils will make tremulous movements in the opposite direction during the examination.

Difficulty diagnosing concussions in children early age. They are not allowed to conduct such examinations, and clinical picture they may differ. Symptoms that can be used to identify a concussion in children include: anxiety, increased regurgitation after feedings, startling and loud screaming, refusal to breastfeed.

All these manifestations are observed after a fall or impact. In order to exclude serious complications you need to measure the head of the child. Often, parents know the size of the head circumference, as it is measured in the clinic every month during the first year of life.

With an increase in circumference, you should immediately consult a doctor, since such a change can be caused by incipient cerebral edema or intracranial hypertension, as well as hydrocephalus.

Based on this, it is possible to identify signs, the presence of which confirms the diagnosis: concussion. These include:

Fact injury. It is worth noting that if a person was alone at the time of the incident, he may not remember the presence of an injury. Therefore, the denial of the fact of trauma does not always mean that it actually did not exist.
Availability primary symptoms - loss of consciousness, amnesia, nausea and dizziness, headache, tachycardia, nose bleed etc.
Availability neurological violations: instability in the Romberg position, horizontal nystagmus, asymmetry of the pupils.
Availability distant manifestations of the disease. Among them are sleep and memory disorders, decreased mental abilities and concentration of attention, increased sensitivity to external stimuli.
gradual fading clinical symptoms and complete disappearance of all manifestations in 1-2 weeks.

It is impossible to recognize the disease only by one or two signs, since in this case the diagnosis will be unreliable.

Detection of concussion in stationary conditions

Only a specialist can accurately check whether a person has a concussion. The diagnosis of this disease is carried out by a neuropathologist or a neurosurgeon.

In addition to the fact that the doctor has the opportunity to conduct a complete neurological examination and assess the patient's condition, the hospital can also carry out laboratory and instrumental examinations. They will help to differential diagnosis between concussion and other pathological conditions.

The diagnosis of concussion in an adult includes:

Interview patient. In the course of clarifying complaints and collecting anamnesis, the doctor can suggest a diagnosis, as well as draw conclusions about what examinations will be required in this case.
General examinations. It includes the measurement of all indicators - blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate and respiration. Attention is also drawn to the condition of the skin, the presence of injuries.
Conducting a full neurological inspection. In addition to tests that can be performed at home, the doctor assesses the patient's consciousness, reveals whether there are disorders of the cranial nerves, the autonomic nervous system, and sensitivity. A symptom characteristic of a concussion is the inhibition of reflexes on the one hand. Like other manifestations, this symptom should disappear within 1-2 weeks. In order to exclude inflammatory diseases the brain and its membranes, the patient is checked for the presence of meningeal symptoms.
Laboratory research. Often, if a concussion is suspected, OAC, OAM and biochemical analysis blood. However, sometimes for accurate diagnosis required lumbar puncture. A CSF examination is performed if subarachnoid hemorrhage or meningitis is suspected.
Instrumental diagnostic methods. These include X-ray, ultrasound and other examinations.

Currently, almost all patients who have survived a traumatic brain injury undergo an instrumental examination of the brain. Magnetic resonance imaging is considered the most preferred diagnostic method.

This examination eliminates serious pathologies brain. Among them are hemorrhage, vascular thrombosis, brain tumors. But not all hospitals have an MRI machine. Therefore, it is necessary to resort to other methods of examination.

X-rays are taken to rule out skull trauma. Thanks to this diagnostic method, it is possible to detect bone fractures, cracks.

Unlike the adult population, other instrumental examinations are performed for children. Most often they undergo neurosonography - ultrasound procedure brain. It allows you to reveal the presence of a pathological focus, as well as to detect hydrocephalus or intracranial hypertension. Instead of an MRI, children are advised to have a CT scan, as this method takes less time.

In addition to the fact that the diagnosis is performed immediately after the injury, a second examination by a neurologist is required after 1-2 weeks. In this case, the doctor performs the same diagnostic steps. He appreciates general state and performs a neurological examination. After the specified time (14-15 days) after the first visit to the doctor and right approach to treatment, all symptoms should completely disappear. Re-evaluation of laboratory parameters is often not carried out.

Thanks to the results of the EEG, the doctor is able to judge residual effects concussion. This study allows you to identify the presence of pathological foci. Considering EEG results, the treatment is corrected, and the results of the therapy are evaluated.

There are enough methods for diagnosing a concussion. The main way to identify pathology is the knowledge of symptoms. However, if the patient is in doubt and does not have the opportunity to independently assess their condition, then you should seek help from a specialist.