Concussions can range in severity. In some cases, you may not even know you have a concussion. You may be surprised that concussions are considered traumatic brain injuries.
Every concussion is serious. A blow to the head that may not seem like a big deal, can lead to further complications. Most concussions aren’t life threatening, but it is important to see a doctor if you fear you have suffered a concussion.
According to the Brain Injury Association of America, commons signs of a concussion include:
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Blurred vision
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Slurred speech
- Appearing dazed
- Ringing in the ears
- Delayed response to questions
- The person may or may not lose consciousness
If you have suffered an accident of any kind where your head was hit, is important to see a doctor as soon as you can. It is even more important if you have any of the above symptoms.
Even a slight bump to the head can cause a concussion. While severe impacts also cause concussions, it is often the smaller bumps that you need to be aware of because there may not be obvious immediate signs of an injury, such as scrapes, cuts or bruises.
Concussions are dangerous because the effects can linger. You may also not experience symptoms right away, which makes a concussion harder to diagnose on your own. When the symptoms do linger, you could have trouble with daily tasks or may experience decreased cognitive abilities.
The best piece of advice is to take every head injury seriously. There is no such thing as a minor brain injury.
