Concussion is a dangerous and sometimes fatal injury so it’s important to be able to recognize and treat the symptoms as soon as they present themselves. Concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury which is caused by a blow either directly to the head or another part of the body with the force being transmitted to the head.
Having access to accurate information to enable people to confidently diagnose and somewhat treat the signs of concussion has become a matter of urgency within both the professional sporting industry and the medical field. Ongoing research is showing that un-diagnosed concussions, especially those caused through sporting injuries, could now be responsible for neurological issues in later life.
The Australian Government has recently recognized the void of reputable information and a lack of online resources available for those who find themselves in need of a legitimate medical diagnosis for concussion. The targeted audience for this information includes athletes, coaches, medical practitioners, parents and teachers.
In order to provide accurate information that was particularly relevant to sporting concussions, two major governing bodies, the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and the Australian Medical Association (AMA) combined their research of concussions in sport and created a website which acts as a portal of information for diagnosing and managing concussion: www.concussioninsport.gov.au.
“Bringing these two organisations together for this important initiative gives Australian’s confidence and clarity in seeking further information about the diagnosis and management of concussion.” Said Dr David Hughes AIS Chief Medical Officer.
It is important for people who are involved in a high-risk environment for receiving a concussion, such as sports players, to understand that even the subtlest of changes to a person’s behavior could be a sign of concussion. As noted in this video released by the Australian government, the main symptoms of concussion include:
- Headache
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dizziness
- ‘pressure in the head’
- Balance problems
- Difficulty remembering
- “not feeling right”
- Feeling in a “fog”
- Feeling slowed down
- Confusion
- Difficulty concentrating
- Drowsiness
Dr Stephen Parnis, AMA Vice President & Emergency Physician offered a valuable piece of advice in the below video, if someone has received a hard blow while playing sport and showing possible signs of concussion, “If in doubt, sit it out.” Reducing the damage to someone’s brain is more important than getting back out on the field and scoring a try.
First Aid Accident and Emergency has a range of first aid courses some of which discuss head trauma and possible concussion. If you would like any information on our first aid classes, please contact our head office today.
