Concussions are on the rise. New research published in the Journal of Sports Medicine finds that the number of high school athletes who have suffered a concussion has doubled between 2005 to 2012.
This is great news!
Why?
Researchers think the reality is that the number of concussions is the same, but we’re becoming much more aware about the diagnoses. That is good news.
We’re learning more and more about the potential short and long-term consequences of concussions. For example, we know more now about second-impact syndrome — if a person has a second head impact (even one not very severe) while the brain still suffers from a head injury, it can lead to severe disability or death.
We’re also learning that for the brain to heal, it needs to rest. As weird as it sounds, that means no electronics, no television, and limited thinking. A kid can’t follow these instructions if the concussion isn’t diagnosed.
Unfortunately, I know first hand how important this is. My son suffered a baseball related concussion in February. While he’s fine now, it was difficult to see him suffer from the consequences — the headaches, the inability to focus, etc. Fortunately, we had it diagnosed right away, we got instruction on how to rest his brain, and he healed (after five or so weeks).
Increased awareness can help increased the likelihood of a successful outcome for others as well.
If you or a loved one has suffered a concussion in a wreck or accident, please call us at 512-476-4944 to see if we can help.
