Concussion
There are a number of self care techniques you can use to relieve mild concussionsymptoms. If more serious symptoms start to develop, seek immediate medical treatment.
Some self care techniques for mild symptoms of concussion are outlined below.
Sometimes the symptoms of a more serious brain injury do not occur for several hours, or possibly days, after the initial injury has taken place. This meansit's important thatyou remain alert for signs and symptoms that could suggest a more serious injury has occurred.
If you or someone in your care has any of the signs or symptoms listed below, go to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department as soon as possible:
Despite being one of the most common sport-related injuries, there is no internationally agreed consensus onadvice about when it is safe to return to playing a contact sport, such as rugby, after a concussion.
Most national sporting federations and organisations recommend a "step-wise" approach, where you wait until you are freefrom symptoms and then resume a low level of physical activity.
If the symptoms do not return, you can step up to a more intense level of activity. If symptoms are still under control,continue to step up through the levels, eventually returning to playing the sport.
A 2013 conference of experts in sports medicine recommended these steps:
If you are symptom-free, you should be able to return to play within a week. If you experience a return of symptoms, rest for 24 hours, drop down to a previous step, and then attempt to move upagain.
Concussion (minor traumatic brain injury) is the sudden but short-lived loss of mental function that occurs after a blow or other injury to the head.
Common symptoms of concussion include headache, nausea, loss of balance, memory loss and dizziness. Symptoms of concussion can be mild to severe.
Concussion occurs when a blow or impact to the head causes a sudden disruption to part of the brain known as the reticular activating system (RAS).
Concussion is often diagnosed in the accident and emergency (A&E) department, by a paramedic at the scene of an accident, or by another trained official.
If there are no signs or symptoms that suggest a more serious brain injury has taken place, most cases of concussion can be treated at home.
Post-concussion syndrome (PCS) is the term used to describe a collection of symptoms that can last for several weeks or months after the concussion.
There are a number of basic commonsense precautions you can take to reduce your risk of concussion.