A skull fracture by itself may not necessarily be a serious injury. Sometimes, however, the broken skull bones cause bleeding or other damage by cutting into the brain or its coverings. A hematoma is a blood clot that collects in or around the brain.
If active bleeding persists, hematomas can rapidly enlarge. Like brain swelling, the increasing pressure within the rigid confines of the skull due to an enlarging blood clot can cause serious neurological problems, and can even be life-threatening.
Some hematomas are surgical emergencies. Hematomas that are small can sometimes go undetected initially, but may cause symptoms and require treatment several days or weeks later. After a player is diagnosed with a concussion, the protocol calls for a minimum of daily monitoring. The protocol progresses through a series of steps, moving to the next step only when all activities in the current step are tolerated without recurrence of symptoms. Communication between the player and the medical staff during the protocol is essential.
The first step is rest. During this time, in addition to avoiding physical exertion, the player is to avoid electronics, social media and even team meetings until he returns to his baseline level of signs and symptoms. If aerobics are tolerated, the team physician will reintroduce strength training. The fourth step includes some non-contact football-specific activities, and the fifth step, which is clearance to resume full football activity, comes only after neurocognitive testing remains at baseline and there is no recurrence of signs or symptoms of a concussion.
When the team physician gives the player final clearance, the player has a final examination by the INC assigned to his team. Once the INC confirms the conclusion of the team physician, the player is considered cleared and is eligible for full participation in the next game or practice. This protocol allows for players to heal at their own individual rates, includes the expertise of both the team physicians and a neurological consultant and specifically includes an assessment of not only the most recent concussion, but also takes into account the medical history of the player.
The NCAA defines concussion or mild traumatic brain injury as "a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain, induced by traumatic biomechanical forces.
The handbook also states, "NCAA member institutions must have a concussion management plan for their student-athletes on file with specific components as described in Bylaw 3.
The signs of a concussion, according to the NCAA , are as follows:. The NCAA handbook includes much more information on concussions starting on page Sports-related neurosurgical injuries were the focus of the November issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery. Another article described a new smartphone app designed for on-the-field concussion testing. What's a Concussion? Here are the top things to do when healing from a concussion at home: Follow all your doctor's instructions.
Go to all your scheduled follow-up visits. Call a doctor if you have headaches that get worse or other problems that don't go away. If your doctor says to stay home from school or work for a few days, do it — no matter what else you have going on. Don't let anyone pressure you into something that doesn't fit in with your healing plan.
Your doctor may want you to do some or all of these things: Rest your body. Your doctor will tell you to avoid sports and some physical activities until your concussion is completely healed. While you still have symptoms like a headache, trouble seeing well, or changes in mood , you'll need to limit yourself to staying home to sleep or sit quietly.
You'll only do the basic things in life, like eating. This puts less stress on your brain so you avoid hurting it again. When all your symptoms are gone, you should return to physical activities slowly. Rest your mind. As well as resting your body to prevent physical injury, your doctor might tell you to avoid any cognitive thinking activity that makes your symptoms worse.
These symptoms may develop immediately or later. Such bleeding in your brain can be fatal. That's why anyone who experiences a brain injury needs monitoring in the hours afterward and emergency care if symptoms worsen.
Second impact syndrome. Rarely, experiencing a second concussion before signs and symptoms of a first concussion have resolved may result in rapid and usually fatal brain swelling. It's important for athletes never to return to sports while they're still experiencing signs and symptoms of concussion.
Wearing protective gear during sports and other recreational activities. Make sure the equipment fits properly, is well maintained and is worn correctly. Follow the rules of the game and practice good sportsmanship. When bicycling, motorcycling, snowboarding or engaging in any recreational activity that may result in head injury, wear protective headgear.
Concussion care at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version.
Overview A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that affects your brain function. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Types of concussion injuries Open pop-up dialog box Close.
Types of concussion injuries Common injuries that cause concussions include falls or other direct hits to the head, car accidents and blast injuries from explosions. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Evans RW. Acute mild traumatic brain injury concussion in adults. Accessed Nov. Sprouse RA, et al. Sport-related concussion: How best to help young athletes. The Journal of Family Practice.
Recovery from concussion. Avoid caffeine. Nap during the day, as needed. Light Activity usually within a few days to a week after the concussion Slowly try more activities, such as going for a walk or watching TV. After a few days, you should feel well enough to return to school. Work with your health care provider and a school team to create a plan for returning to school. You may need to start with a shorter day or a lighter workload. If you're not back in school by 5 days after the concussion, call your health care provider.
Ask your health care provider when you can drive again. Keep avoiding all sports and any activities that could lead to another head injury. Keep getting plenty of sleep. If you don't feel tired during the day, you don't need to nap.
If you still need medicine for headaches, talk to your health care provider. Moderate Activity usually about a week after the concussion If your symptoms are nearly gone, you can go back to most activities, including regular schedules for school and work.
You can try it again after a few minutes or longer, or you can try a less strenuous version of the activity Regular Activity usually within a month of the concussion If you no longer have any concussion symptoms, you can go back to all other activities, except sports , that you used to do. For sports, your health care provider will work with your coach and athletic trainer if available to create a clear, written plan for a gradual return to play.
Don't go back to playing sports until your health care provider says it's OK. This means that they: have had a physical exam are back in school have no symptoms aren't taking any medicines for concussion symptoms are back to their baseline results on physical and cognitive testing Hurrying back to sports and other physical activities puts teens at risk for second-impact syndrome.
Looking Ahead People are much more likely to get a concussion if they've had one before. To prevent another concussion: Be sure that any teams you are on have rules to reduce the risk of concussions, such as limits on tackling football or heading the ball soccer. Be sure to wear a helmet when skiing, snowboarding, biking, riding a scooter, skateboarding, or rollerblading.
0コメント