Why concussions occur

This should be determined by your doctor. Your ability to perform intense, supervised, sport-specific activities without symptoms can be used:. Many factors likely play a role in the development of prolonged recovery.

One main factor may be the lack of recognition and treatment of causes of symptoms. In those suffering from prolonged recovery, it is critical to identify the factors causing symptoms and begin treatment for them. There is a growing concern that concussions, or sub-concussive blows repeated head impacts not severe enough to cause concussion , may cause or be a risk factor for developing complications later in life.

It is clear, primarily from studies of retired boxers, that some people seem to have developed neurological problems secondary to repetitive mild head trauma in their athletic careers. Researchers have also discovered microscopic brain changes in people exposed to repetitive mild head trauma. This condition is called CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

CTE is a pathologic diagnosis, meaning it can only be diagnosed after someone dies and their brain has been examined. The consequences of CTE in a person's life are unknown. Studies have been done that have looked at the risk of long-term consequences in children who participate in contact and collision sports, but no long-term neurologic or psychiatric consequences have yet been identified.

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Myth: You must be hit on the head to have a concussion. Fact: Any force to the body which is transmitted to the head can cause a concussion. One example would be a whiplash injury of the neck. Myth: You have to lose consciousness to have a concussion.

Myth: You must have imaging of your brain after having a concussion. Fact: Your doctor will determine if imaging is needed. CT scans and MRIs will not show evidence of a concussion.

Since the brain cannot escape the rigid confines of the skull, severe swelling can compress the brain and its blood vessels, limiting the flow of blood. Without adequate blood flow, the brain does not receive the necessary flow of oxygen and glucose.

A stroke can occur. Brain swelling after a concussion has the potential to amplify the severity of the injury. A blow to the head can cause a more serious initial injury to the brain. A contusion is a bruise of the brain tissue involving bleeding and swelling in the brain. A skull fracture occurs when the bone of the skull breaks.

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. Concussions can have serious and long-term health effects, and even a seemingly mild 'ding' or a bump on the head can be serious.

Signs and symptoms of concussion include headache, nausea, fatigue, confusion or memory problems, sleep disturbances, or mood changes; symptoms are typically noticed right after the injury, but some might not be recognized until days or weeks later. An estimated 1. During , children and youth ages years accounted for 2. Among children and youth ages years, the fi ve leading sports or recreational activities which account for concussions include: bicycling, football, basketball, playground activities, and soccer.

High school athletes' recovery times for a sports concussion are longer than college athletes' recovery times. Lack of proper diagnosis and management of concussion may result in serious long-term consequences, or risk of coma or death. Do not return to play with a known or suspected concussion until evaluated and given permission by an appropriate health care professional. What is a Concussion? 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. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms of traumatic brain injury TBI. What is a concussion? Meehan WP, et al.

Concussion in children: Management. Accessed Jan. Schutzman S. Minor head trauma in infants and children: Evaluation. Giza CC, et al. Summary of evidence-based guideline update: Evaluation and management of concussion in sports: Report of the Guideline Development Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology.