Get serious about concussions

First Posted: 10/4/2014

In the last few years, concussions have become a hot topic. Parents are more aware of what a bump to their child’s head could mean. We have seen laws, such as House Bill 143, being passed in Ohio to protect our youth who sustain a concussion. The media coverage has helped to heighten awareness (check out the front page of The Lima News today). It is virtually impossible to go a weekend in sports without hearing about a college or professional athlete who has had a concussion. There has been the recent NFL concussion lawsuit. And just last weekend there was the issue with the University of Michigan’s quarterback being injured and remaining in the game.

The topic of concussions is important because of how important brain function is to being who we are. It is important for the way we think (cognition) and how we feel (emotions). Symptoms can have physical, cognitive, emotional, and/or sleep manifestations. Concussions can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life, thus, all concussions are serious.

However, concussions can be hard to understand for many reasons:

• Not every athlete presents with the same symptoms and severity. Every concussion is unique to that patient. Furthermore, an athlete with a concussion may not be aware of one’s concussion since the brain is what is injured.

• Concussions are “difficult to see.” They are unlike a broken bone that is seen on x-ray or an ACL tear that is seen with an MRI.

• The diagnosis of a concussion is made clinically. There is not an imaging test, computer test, or lab test that will diagnose a concussion. However, there are tools that are used to help the health care provider evaluate a concussion.

• There is no specific amount of time that a concussed athlete is out of activity. Treatment duration and management is unique to each individual.

• The pillar of initial concussion treatment involves physical and mental rest. This is hard to do. There is no magic pill or surgery to fix the problem.

At St. Rita’s Medical Center, our goal is to provide excellent medical care for all patients who have a concussion. We have employed well-educated, certified athletic trainers at 17 partner high schools and at UNOH. Our health care providers in our urgent care centers and emergency departments provide early emergency care to patients with head injuries. And many of our primary care providers treat concussions in their offices.

My role as a primary care sports medicine specialist is to perform a thorough evaluation and physical exam of a patient with a concussion. We then develop a management plan that includes specific recommendations regarding school, physical activity, work, medications and advanced imaging. Our treatment plan may involve specialists in neurology, neurosurgery, neuropsychology, therapy services, physical medicine and rehab, ophthalmology, psychology, and psychiatry.

Now is the time to get serious about concussions. Let’s continue to increase awareness in our communities.