Most concussions are mild, and the effects usually resolve within a few days, without lasting consequences.
A severe concussion can cause impaired consciousness for several hours or longer and may cause lasting effects.
This article will discuss facts about concussions and who is more at risk.
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It often causes loss of consciousness for a few seconds or impaired memory of the event.
How Common Is Concussion?
Safety Measures
Some safety measures can help reduce the incidence of concussions and concussion-related problems.
Concussion by Ethnicity
Concussions can affect anyone of any ethnicity.
Accurate and timely diagnosis and care can have a beneficial impact on recovery.
This age group accounts for about 32% of TBI-related hospitalizations and 28% of TBI-related deaths.
Concussions are more common with advancing age.
Adult women are more likely to report concussion symptoms.
Causes of Concussion and Risk Factors
Head trauma is the cause of a concussion.
A TBI can cause a concussion with or without an identifiable structural injury.
Concussion is believed to occur due to changes in the chemical activity in the brain that result from trauma.
These changes can affect different regions throughout the brain.
Risk factors for concussion include:
Some of these risk factors lead to repeated concussions.
Some sports can cause frequent concussions, each adding more to the risk of extensive and lasting brain damage.
What Are the Mortality Rates for Concussion?
Based on CDC data, there were 64,362 traumatic brain injury-related deaths in the United States in 2020.
Screening and Early Detection
There are many tests that screen for concussion.
These tests can measure skills such as reaction time.
The scores can be compared to standardized scores.
Some sports programs require baseline concussion testing before the season starts.
These types of tests measure whether a player has had a change in their own score after a concussion.
Most of the time, people recover after a concussion, without lasting effects.
In severe cases, the effects of a concussion can be life-threatening.
Gasquoine PG.Performance-based alternatives to race-norms in neuropsychological assessment.Cortex.
2022;148:231-238. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2021.12.003
Gasquoine PG.Performance-based alternatives to race-norms in neuropsychological assessment.Cortex.2022;148:231-238. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2021.12.003
