Myths About Concussions
9 Myths about Concussions Debunked:
5. A concussion is not permanent.
The effects of a concussion can last for a long period of time. Someone with a concussion can suffer with symptoms anywhere few weeks, many months, several years, or the rest of their lives, and no one person is the same with their recovery.
2. You must be placed in a dark room to recover from a concussion.
Evidence-based active treatments for concussions exist, including vestibular therapy, vision therapy, exertion therapy, and medications.
9. Concussions are not serious.
Because a traumatic brain injury has been classified as "mild" it does not mean that effects and consequences of the injury are not significant. Someone with a mild brain injury can experience many symptoms, including physical symptoms, cognitive problems, and behavioral changes.
7. You must strike your head to suffer a concussion.
You can sustain a concussion to your head if it undergoes rapid acceleration and deceleration. The impact on the brain can cause the brain to bump into the opposite side of the skull. The skull has rough bony components, and if the brain impacts with this area, a concussion can be present.
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4. Concussions are not debilitating.
People differ in the severity of the symptoms they experience, but these symptoms can result in an inability to work, a disruption in their family life, and their relationships and a complete change in the way they live their life.
1. Having one concussion places you at an increased risk for future concussions.
Proper clinical management is the best form of prevention. Recovery from one should not put a person at risk for another. But there are some inherent conditions (migraines) that can put you at higher risks.
8. You cannot have a concussion without loss of consciousness.
It has been recognized that a concussion can occur after a very brief loss of consciousness of 30 seconds or less or being dazed without loss of consciousness.
6. You can see the effects of a concussion right away.
The true effects of a brain injury may not be apparent immediately after the injury has been sustained. Changes in behavior cognitive function, concentration, and memory may become more apparent weeks and even months after the accident occurred.
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3. Everyone is at the same risk for a concussion.
Various factors, including age, gender, and medical history, put an individual at risk for sustaining a concussion.
(Fairfield Medical Center)
