Concussion by Alan Harrington

The term ‘concussion’ can be thrown around very loosely due to the umbrella terminology of a “Head injury”.
It’s important to realise that not every head injury is a concussion and that concussions don’t always stem from direct blows to the head.
This blog post will hopefully answer some questions on whether you feel like you may have had a concussion or know someone who has.

First and foremost a concussion is a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). It is the temporary change in your brain’s functionality due to the sudden unexpected movement of one’s brain. The brain moves so quickly and hits off the internal structures of our skull that it changes the physiological events in the brain. Concussions are serious and should not be taken lightly.

If you have any doubts as a therapist on the side-line covering a match or a parent who doesn’t like the way their child fell and hit the ground, always be cautious. In a sport setting if you’re unsure, pull them out .

The classic cause of concussion is a blow to the head whether it is a fall, head-on-head contact, or even whiplash. Even shoulder-to-shoulder contact can cause a concussion. Unfortunately, due to the physicality in certain sports, concussions are quite common.
However, people may suffer a concussion in a Road Traffic Accident (RTA) through the violent action of ‘whiplash’.

Concussions are followed by a variety of short to long term effects. The easiest way to identify them is sudden personal changes immediately post-injury.
Not feeling ‘100%’, nausea and headaches are easy tells.

If you have experienced a recent injury to your neck or head and have any of the following;

• Mood changes
• New found sensitivity to light (The Sun, TV or your phone)
• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Inability to concentrate
• Migraines

you may have suffered a concussion.
You should seek medical care from your GP or a Neurologist for confirmation.

But what can we do?

Here at Galway Bay Physio, we can aid you on your road to recovery. We can identify your triggers and the severity of your symptoms and then tailor a rehab programme to get you feeling better or back on the pitch. Manual therapy can aid in the reduction of migraine pain.

We use a variety of questionnaires, vestibular and ocular motor tests to determine what rehab plan will suit you. With the right exercise prescription, guidance and reassurance we can help with your symptoms of concussion.

By Alan Harrington, Athletic Therapist