Concussion Paper Essay Example

Concussion Paper Essay Example Concussion Paper Essay Concussion Paper Essay The brain is a very delicate and complex organ It is located inside the head and controls everything we do from movement our five senses emotions thoughts memory breathing our heartbeat digesting food and our speech The brain is made of a gelatin like substance and is protected by cerebrations fluid and the skull So imagine what would happen to our brain if it would get damaged Anything that our brain controls could be altered either temporarily or permanently Brain injury kills more individuals under the age of twenty than any other cause combined Brain injury caused by head trauma is the greatest killer under the age of fort five and the greatest cause of disability in people under froufrou . Ithaca College) This head trauma is called a Concussion When a person suffers a concussion the brain suddenly shifts or shakes inside the skull and can hit against the skulls bony surface A hard hit to the body can result in an accelerationdeceleration injury when the brain brushes against pro truding pa arts of the inner skull There are also other forces that can cause a rotational injury where the brain twists , potentially shearing of the brains nerve fibers In either case neural pathways in the brain can come damaged and cause neurological disturbances On impact the brain bumps into the interior of the skull where it is hit as well as on the opposite side resulting in damaging bruises at two different sites in the brain called coup and the contractor . Concussions involve more than just the primary injuries . They have secondary injuries that appear several hours or days after the trauma . These injuries quite often cause significant longer effects, include brain damage cognitive defects psychosocial/behavioral/emotional changes and bodily damage It is currently unknown what exactly happens to the brain cells but t appears that there is a change in the chemical function . This puts the cells in a very vulnerable State Notes the actual structure of the brain tissue but how the brain is working . During this time period the brain is not functioning normally and is more susceptible to a second he d injury Concussions are a result of a collision with another object This collision can be either direct or an indirect hit to the head or body Sometimes a blow to the head can lead to bleeding in or around the brain causing prolonged drowsiness and confusion that can develop right away or take a few days to appear Bleeding can be very fatal and will require monitoring in the hours afterward and emergency care if symptoms worsen There are many risk factors that can lead to a concussion . Contact sports like football hockey soccer rugby and boxing Volleyball baseball tennis and softball all include the opportunity for a ball to hit an athlete in the head which can result in a head In the United States there are approximately three hundred thousand concussions suffered by at helmets a year and thirteen percent of them happen in practice . (Ithaca College, Concussion Facts) Why are sport s the leading cause of concussions? Well to help put this into perspective a bit; the NFG has claimed that the average player will receive an estimated nine hundred to fit en hundred blows to the head per season A tackle from a stationary player is twenty miles per hour . The impact speed of a hit from a professional boxer is twentieth miles per hour . A header in soccer is approximately seventy miles per hour (Concussion F-acts) Others that may be more prone to the risk may include vehicle collisions pedestrian or bicycle accidents soldiers involved in combat victims of physical abuse and those who have had a previous concussion . It is also very Common for young children or older adults to become concussed after a bad fall . Nearly half a million emergency room visits are children ages zero to fourteen with traumatic brain injuries Symptoms can vary from person to person. They can be subtle and not mime dilated apparent or they can show right away No two concussions are the same so signs and symptoms can be a little different Symptoms can last for days weeks or even longer More immediate symptoms involve headache or a feeling of pressure in the head temporary loss Of consciousness confusion or feeling as if youre in a fog amnesia surrounding the event dizziness or seeing stars or black spots ringing in the ears nausea vomiting slurred speech delayed response to questions appearing dazed and fatigue Symptoms that are most likely to be delayed are concentration and memory complaints irritability and other personality changes sensitivity to light and noise sleep disturbances psychological adjustment problems and depression and disorders of taste and smell Sometimes it can be hard to determine if a young child has a concussion or n to . Some of the common concussed children symptoms are similar to the symptoms of tee thing . If there is ever any doubt monitor them closely and take them to a doctor Children may experience Listlessness and tiring easily irritability and crankiness dazed appearance, loss of balance and unsteady walking excessive crying, change in eating and/or sleeping patterns and a lack of interest in their favorite toys Seeking emergency care as soon as severe symptoms occur can be the differed once between prolonged symptoms and permanent brain injury If the individual is experiencing repeated a loss of consciousness lasting longer than thirty seconds , a headache that gets worse over time major changes in behavior hanged in physical coordination such as stumbling or clumsiness confusion or disorientation with recognizing people or places , slurred speech or other changes in the speaking patter seizures vision or eye disturbances like dilated pupils or unequal size lasting or recurring dizziness obvious difficulty with mental function or physical coordination symptoms that worsen over t ime and any large head bumps or bruises in areas other than on the forehead which is especially important in infants under towel eve months . It is extremely important for parents coaches and athletic trainers to keep an eye on their athletes Approximately sixty percent of teens who suffered a concussion did not fee el that it was serious enough to tell an adult It is assumed that if you are knocked unconscious your concussion is worse than if you are not Only ten percent Of all concussions involve a loss Of (11 facts) In fact some athletes have been knocked unconscious and didnt have any lasting problems My sister was playing basketball at the gym She went for a lay-up but got her legs took from under her and landed on her head . The guys that were with her said she was knocked unconscious She missed the last three months of school due to headaches but since then as not had any problems There are about seven major complications that can occur with a head injury . The first is Epilepsy people who have had a concussion double their risk Of developing epilepsy w tit the first five years after the injury The second is the cumulative effects of multiple brain injuries . Individuals who have had multiple concussive brain injuries over the course o f their lives may acquire lasting even progressive impairment that limits their ability to function Thirdly some people begin having postcolonial syndrome which involves headaches , dizziness and thinking faculties a few days after a concussion The symptoms can continue for weeks or even months after the concussion The fourth complication would be postgraduates headaches . Some people experience headaches within a week to a few months after their injury . Individuals can also experience postgraduates vertigo up to months after a concussion which is a s ensue of dizziness or spinning Number six on the list is the second impact syndrome . Some people may experience a second concussion before signs and symptoms of a first concussion have re solved . This can result in rapid and usually fatal brain swelling Often times with brain swelling the individual will feel a sense of pressure in their head and even some cerebrations fluid I sneaking out of their ears and/or nose And lastly on the list of major complications would be the levels of the brain chemicals They are usually altered after a concussion and it can take about a week for t hem to stabilize again Going to see a licensed health professional about a concussion is usually a go odd idea not matter how serious the brain injury is The doctor will perform a series of simple tests . First they will do a neurological examination This will involve testing vision hearing strength and sensation balance coordination and then reflexes A cognitive exam will be next and test the ability to recall information concentration and memory After these two exams are done the doctor may ask for imaging tests A cranial computerized tomography (CT) scan uses a series of grays to read the jurisdictional images of your skull and brain .