What is Concussion
Concussion or mild traumatic brain injury is a common health problem in Canada. Concussions are caused by a significant physical impact to the head, face, or body. This may occur after a car accident, fall, sports injury, etc. which causes significant movement of the brain in the skull. In spite of the fact that airbags, helmets, and other headgear protect against more serious injuries, they do not protect against concussions. Concussions result in a functional change of the brain and may stretch the neurons, resulting in a variety of symptoms. Concussions cause a wide range of symptoms including headaches, vertigo, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, sensitivity to noise, brain fog, mood disorder (e.g. irritability, depression, anxiety), sleep difficulties (e.g. insomnia, hypersomnia, sleep apnea), difficulty with balance, cognitive dysfunction, and etc. Most patients completely recover from a concussion within 1-3 months after injury but around 10-15% of people will have prolonged symptoms.
What can affect the duration of my recovery after a concussion?
- Female Gender
- History of previous concussions and head injury
- Genetics
- History of anxiety and depression before a concussion
- History of migraine headaches before a concussion
- History of learning disability before a concussion