Concussion is a form of brain injury, that occurs either as a direct blow to the head
If left undiagnosed or untreated, concussion can have serious consequences. Find out more about the causes, symptoms, and treatment for concussion below.
Concussion is a form of brain injury, that occurs either as a direct blow to the head (for example in rugby), hitting your head on a low ceiling, or as a result of the head being moved suddenly without direct contact, e.g. falling to the floor without hitting your head. You do not need to lose consciousness to have concussion.
The symptoms of concussion are varied, and can range from being mildly annoying to significantly affecting your ability to function. The most common include headache, feeling fatigued, feeling sick or sensitive to light or noise. Some people find they want to sleep a lot more, while others struggle to fall asleep.
Absolutely: concussion needs to be managed. If you are actively taking part in sport then the return to this needs to be managed appropriately so that you do not risk returning too soon and suffering potentially serious consequences.
Primarily treatment is about managing your symptoms, when things start to improve then a graded return to activity is undertaken in a graded approach. MRI scans of the brain are sometimes done if the symptoms are unusual or the resolution of them is taking longer than expected. Sometimes CT scans are done in the early stages to rule out potentially serious additional issues but this is not frequent.
We boast a truly integrated team of orthopaedic surgeons, neurologists, sports medicine physicians, podiatric surgeons, rheumatology specialists, paid medicine consultants and hand therapy specialists. All of these services work together in one place, enabling us to give patients the best care possible.
