Concussions, known medically as mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), are the most common type of head injury. The cerebrospinal fluid inside of the human skull protects the brain from everyday jolts and bumps; however, concussions occur when a blow to the head or sudden acceleration causes the brain to forcefully impact the inner wall of the skull. While the causes of concussions are myriad some of the most common causes are sports injuries, car accidents, bicycling accidents, violence, and falls. Concussions, while not life threatening, can result in loss of brain function, as well as a variety of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms.
Given the prevalence of concussions, it is important to know the proper steps for treating a person suspected of having a concussion:
1) Assess the victim. Examine the victim carefully. Visible injuries are not always the best indicator of a head injury, since a serious impact injury may not be externally visible. Rather, the victim should be observed, and medical treatment sought if the victim displays more than one of the following physical symptoms: loss of consciousness; severe headache; light sensitivity; double or blurred vision; seeing "stars" or other visual anomalies; loss of coordination and balance; vertigo, numbness, tingling, or weakness in the legs and harms; stumbling or poor hand-eye coordination; or nausea and vomiting. In addition, the victim should be observed for the following emotional symptoms: unusual irritability or excitability; disinterest; difficulties with concentration, logic, and memory; mood swings or outbursts or inappropriate emotions; tearfulness; sleepiness or lethargy.
2) If a head injury is suspected, the victim should seek attention from a medical professional. While concussion symptoms usually go away with rest and do not require medical treatment, medical assistance should be sought in situations where: the victim is unconscious; it is difficult to judge the severity of the injury; the victim has been in a serious accident; or the victim's symptoms worsen. In addition, professional medical treatment should be sought if the victim displays: weakness on one side of the body; pupils that do not react equally to light; slurred speech; uncoordinated movement; or drooping of one corner of the mouth or one eyelid.
3) Keep the victim as still as possible. Moving the victim may cause further injury; therefore, unless absolutely necessary to prevent further injury, the victim should not be moved. Stay with the victim. Do not let the victim walk away if a concussion is suspected, since symptoms may not be immediately apparent.
4) Know how to assess consciousness. It is important to determine whether the victim is conscious or not; to check, use a test like the AVPU code:
A – is the victim alert?
V – does the victim respond to voice?
P – does the victim respond to pain or touch?
U – is the victim unresponsive?
5) If the victim is, or becomes, unconscious, position the victim on their side with their head slightly raised. Check the victim's breathing and circulation and seek immediate medical attention.
6) If the victim is conscious, repeatedly ask the victim questions. Asking questions serves two purposes: gauging the victim's impairment, and keeping the victim awake.
7) Keep the victim's head cool with an ice pack or damp cloths. Keeping the victim's head cool can prevent brain swelling – although the victim should be protected from extreme temperatures.
8) Allow the victim to rest. If the victim wishes to sleep, wake the victim every fifteen minutes for the first two hours, then every half hour for the following two hours, then hourly. Each time you wake the victim, administer the AVPU consciousness test. If you are unable to wake the victim, seek medical treatment immediately.
For more information on how to treat concussions, visit the following website: http://www.wikihow.com/Treat-a-Concussion#_note-0.
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