Brain injuries like concussions were once laughed off as “getting one’s bell rung.” Striking your head playing sports or falling off of your bike as a child and bumping your head would make you feel a little “woozy.” Sitting down, perhaps having a drink of water would clear the cobwebs from the mind. People knew about concussions; they just thought that concussions only happened in minimal circumstances indicated by loss of consciousness and confusion. No one truly understood the damage to the brain that was occurring when what we now consider to be symptoms of concussions was just something you could “shake off.”
Concussions were overlooked as a serious injury because symptoms like dizziness are subjective. Additionally, the sensation of dizziness and confusion wore off after a couple of minutes in many cases. All that would be left is a headache. Headaches could not stop anyone, or so the prevailing opinion was at one time. Thankfully, those days are now over.
Doctors have a keen understanding of the potential damage concussions can cause in the long term. After a car accident, doctors who suspect a person struck his or her head will undergo concussion protocols and most likely undergo diagnostic testing such as magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, before a doctor can diagnose a concussion.
The accident victims’ brain is in a vulnerable state. Without giving adequate time for the concussion to heal, the victim might suffer setbacks, including post-concussion syndrome. Post-concussion syndrome may seem like a persistent headache. Sometimes dizziness and memory loss accompany the headaches.
Doctors do not know when an accident victim might experience post-concussion syndrome. Post-concussion syndrome is difficult to treat, therefore. The accident victim might need cognitive therapy, and see a psychologist for treatment of anxiety, depression, and mood swings brought on by the post-concussion syndrome. Consequently, it is vital to an accident victim to make a full recovery to make sure concussion protocols are followed strictly.
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