Deciphering The Myths And Facts About Concussion Recovery

Concussions are common occurrences among athletes since they encounter various levels of impact on their heads and around the heads. Concussions result in different symptoms that vary from one patient to the next. As such, it is important to know the myths and facts about concussion recovery to benefit from the right form of treatment.

Myths and facts about concussion recovery

Myth 1: Unconsciousness after a head injury results in a worse concussion than when consciousness is not lost

Fact: Consciousness and lack thereof was one of the ways of diagnosing a concussion since it was often believed that a concussion was definite if one passes out after a head injury. However, scientists proved that unconsciousness is not the ultimate test of a concussion because it does not always occur. Of notable interest is that a concussion may occur as a result of an injury around the head whose impact landed on the head. Such an injury may injure the brain but may not necessarily lead to the lack of consciousness.

Also, unconsciousness does not determine the severity of a concussion. One may pass out after a head injury and end up with a less severe concussion in comparison to another person who passed out. Both patients should be highly monitored and treated according to their symptoms for a quick recovery.

Myth 2: It is dangerous to sleep after a concussion because the brain damage may be fatal

Fact: A concussion is a brain injury. A brain injury may develop a hemorrhage after a certain period. As such, it is highly advisable for someone to be examined by a doctor after a head injury has occurred. This way the doctor will determine the severity of the injury and advice on the immediate steps to take for recovery. The immediate steps may include not sleeping for a while for one’s symptoms to be monitored since they might be missed when they are asleep. After the symptoms are monitored, the doctor may give a go-ahead for the patient to sleep to aid in proper recovery since the danger has been eliminated.

Myth 3. Children and adolescents heal faster from concussions in comparison to adults hence they do not require urgent medical attention.

Fact: Anyone who suffers a head injury should seek medical attention to get a proper diagnosis on the severity of their injury. Notably, concussions are different from other body injuries where children heal faster than adults. In this case, children may take a longer time to recover. This is because their brains are still maturing, and an unresolved concussion will lead to the brain maturing around the damages.

The myths and facts about concussion recovery seek to prove that any head injury should be dealt with utter seriousness for one to receive the most effective form of treatment according to their specific symptoms.