Concussions and Memory Loss

When it comes to cerebral injuries, a lot of people mistakenly prognosticate all types of inter cranial (under skull) bleeding as concussions. This is a flawed diagnosis as concussions are only closed head injuries. All kinds of concussions and memory loss are due to injuries inflicted on the head, but the converse is not true.

TYPES OF CONCUSSIONS: it can range from mild concussions entailing no loss of consciousness to severe concussions that lead to prolonged blackouts.

CAUSES: Concussions as mentioned earlier is caused due to impact of an external force on the brain due to which the brain is pushed into a state of deep trauma. A car accident, a fall or any event that resulted in a headlong collision with a foreign object------are among the most probable causes.

SYMPTOMS: This includes spans of unconsciousness after impact, headache accompanied by bouts of nausea and vomiting. The victim may also suffer from blurring of the vision. There may follow periods of confusion and disarray. Concussion and memory loss are sometimes inter-related; the later occurring as an inevitable consequence of the former. In case of a short-term memory loss, the immediate happenings just before and after the accident gets obliterated from the conscious psyche of the injured individual and he may face difficulty recounting certain phases of his life. This is not permanent. The trauma affected, may also experience a medical state known as persevering, where the patient persists on asking the same question repeatedly in spite of the fact that the question may have already been answered.

MEDICAL HELP, IS IT ALWAYS NECESSARY?

Not always, say doctors. But it is still advisable that a medical professional is consulted in the event of such an accident. After that, it is the doctor's prerogative whether to advise simple bed rest and homecare, see the patient individually or to recommend immediate hospitalization.

SITUATIONS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE THE ICU: Situations, when ever after impact wit something hard like the bathtub or tile or the floor, the patient remains conscious with no loss in vision clarity and suffers only from mild bouts of dizziness and nausea. Even if they suffer from a short round of memory loss, there is no reason to panic. The worst they will suffer is a mild headache for a few days.

SITUATIONS THAT REQUIRE THE AMBULANCE: concussion and memory loss can be irreversible if not taken care of timely. So the cases when one must take special care are:

1. In the event the victim falls from a great height on to a hard ground.

2. If the injured remains unconscious for over 2 minutes.

3. The victim succumbs to bouts of vomiting and severe physical weakness.

In case you think a person has suffered a concussion and yet is unconscious, chances are ripe that they have sustained considerable back and neck damage. Any attempt to dislodge them from their current position may result in paralysis. So don't even think about it. Instead, call an ambulance ASAP.