How do I Know if I have a Concussion?
June 30, 2020 Posted in: ASK AN EXPERT
How can I tell if I have a concussion?
First, you need to know that you have a concussion. Effective concussion management starts with recognizing the signs and symptoms, some of which may show up hours or days after your injury. It’s important for parents, coaches, trainers and athletes to recognize the early signs.
Watch for early signs which typically include:
- Difficulty thinking clearly, concentrating or remembering new information
- Headache, blurry vision, queasiness or vomiting, dizziness, balance problems or sensitivity to noise or light
- Irritability, moodiness, sadness or nervousness
- Extreme sleepiness or difficulty falling asleep or remaining asleep
Any athlete with potential concussion warning signs should see a doctor or nurse practitioner as quickly as possible for a diagnosis. Remember, there is no simple test for a concussion. You can miss a concussion if you rely only on a simple five-minute assessment done on the sidelines.
Athletes, coaches, parents and health care professionals should all be up to date on concussions. If you are not comfortable dealing with a concussion yourself, have a concussion plan in place so you know exactly who to ask for help if someone shows warning signs.
Returning to Play
Most people recover from a concussion within a few days to three months. The Zurich Consensus statement on concussion recovery recommends the following five stages of rehabilitation:
- No activity – Focus on recovery. Rest your body and your mind.
- Light aerobic exercise – Get your heart rate up with light activities, such as walking and swimming, but don’t go past 70 per cent of your maximum heart rate. Your goal is to increase your heart rate without risk of re-injury. Do not do any resistance training yet.
- Sport-specific exercise – Add movement by re-introducing sport-specific movement, like skating or running drills. Don’t do anything that might put your head at risk of being hit.
- Non-contact training drills – Add more complex forms of training to improve your exercise, coordination and cognitive load. This could include passing drills in football or hockey. You may start resistance training again.
- Full-contact practice: Once your doctor says it’s okay, you can participate in normal training again. This will build your confidence and skills before returning to play.
If you experience any recurring symptoms at any point in your recovery, restart the process and remain inactive until the symptoms stop.
You should return to play after concussion only once a licensed healthcare professional, who is trained in evaluating and managing concussions, has given you medical clearance to do so.
