Concussion Recovery Time

Concussion refers to a mild head injury which can have devastating consequences. Depending on the severity of the impact the concussion recovery time varies. Read on to find out more…

The word concussion is derived from the Latin word concutere, which means to shake violently. A concussion is a head injury which results in a temporary loss of brain function. Usually caused by a severe knock to the head, a concussion dispositions the brain to some extent, and this may result in unconsciousness, vomiting, confusion, and visual disturbances. At times, short term memory loss is also noticed. Depending on the severity of the injury to the head, concussion recovery times may differ, though there are other factors as well that contribute to the recovery time.

What is Concussion?

Concussion, also known as Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) is the medical term given when there is severe impact to the head, ultimately affecting the brain, which may even cause serious injury. The brain is surrounded by a fluid called as cerebrospinal fluid, the function of which is to protect the brain. It acts as a cushion, but in case of a severe impact, this shield may not be effective. What happens when the head is struck by something, or in case of a serious head injury, is that the brain gets bruised, resulting in rupturing of blood vessels and damage to the nerves. This jerk to the brain may lead to some serious damage like contusion and hematoma. A contusion is a bruise on the brain causing it to swell because of the broken or damaged blood vessels, while a hematoma is the blood clot formed from bleeding inside the brain.

In recent years, people have associated concussions mainly with sports. Indeed, it can be seen severely in boxing, apart from other sports such as ice hockey, rugby, soccer. One can also get concussions from bike mishaps, car accidents, falls, physical violence, etc.

Concussion in children

is mainly seen to injuries to the head while playing, like a fall from a cycle, or such type of head injuries. The recovery time for concussions varies depending of the severity of the impact.

Symptoms of Concussion Concussion symptoms are fairly easy to recognize. Apart from unconsciousness, vomiting, confusion and visual disturbances, other symptoms include nausea, double or fuzzy vision, sensitivity to light or noise, concentration or memory problems, balance problems or dizziness. Amnesia is the prominent symptom of concussion. Amnesia is the loss or mismatch of memory. Memory can be either which is already stored, or which is in the process of being stored. The condition where there is a loss of memory which was already stored before the injury is known as retrograde amnesia, while loss of the memory which was in the process of getting stored after the injury is anterograde amnesia. Anterograde amnesia is also known as Post Traumatic Amnesia (PTA).

Grades of Concussion

There are different levels of concussions defined to understand the severity of it. These have been described into five grades.

• The mildest of all is Grade 1, symptoms of which include confusion, though not severe.
• Grade 2 is basically anterograde amnesia, which lasts less than five minutes along with confusion.
• Grade 3 is retrograde amnesia and unconsciousness, lasting less than five minutes.
• Grade 4 is one in which all of the above symptoms are seen as well as unconsciousness for less than five minutes.
• Grade 5 is same as grade IV but in this the unconsciousness lasts longer than ten minutes.

The American Academy of Neurology (ANN) guidelines makes it clear that permanent brain injury can occur with either Grade 2 or Grade 3 concussion. Thus, it is clear that subtle brain injury is bound to have a severe consequence if the symptoms of the concussion continue for more than 15 minutes.

Concussion Recovery Time

Grade 1 concussion recovery time is comparatively less as compared to the other levels or grades of concussion.

Mild concussion

recovery time is lees as it mainly involves only confusion. It involves no loss of consciousness, but then it causes a confused state of mind, disorientation, and inability to focus, which gets resolved within about 15 minutes. For Grade 2 concussion recovery time, the symptoms remain the same and it can be restored in slightly more than 15 minutes. The concussion recovery period for a Grade III concussion is much more, as it includes a loss of consciousness.

Irrespective of the level of the concussion, it is advisable to take rest for few days, both physically and mentally. Never indulge in any physical activity after you’ve had a concussion. If you’re a gym freak you need to bid adieu to your gym for few weeks until your doctor recommends to start again. Having said that, one needs to take rest mentally too, do not stress you brain too much, let it relax. By this I mean that no concentration activity, which means no computer, no video games, no playing chess, sudoku, mensa puzzle et al. Any type of cognitive activity should be strictly avoided, as it will only help your brain rest. Rest is by far the most effective concussion treatment one can get, as it is crucial for the healing process. It is also highly advisable to see a doctor in any case of concussion.

After a concussion, the brain needs time to heal. It is of utmost importance to wait until all concussion signs have been cleared off. The amount of time someone needs to recover depends on how long the symptoms last. It is highly recommended to consult your doctor before you even think of resuming work. A doctor will monitor the person closely to make sure everything is perfect. This time can differ from patient to patient, and largely depends on the severity of the concussion. It is essential to follow these concussion recovery guidelines to completely recover. Though the signs and symptoms might abate in a few hours, the brain requires time to heal, and until the brain heals completely, risk of brain damage is possible.

It is crucial to take good care of yourself after a concussion. If you happen to re-injure your brain during the time of healing, the concussion recovery time will extend considerably. Each time a person has a concussion, it does additional damage. Remember to take utmost care of yourself during this period, as it would be hazardous getting concussions repeatedly. It would double the risk of a brain injury every time you get a concussion.

Concussion prevention

is most commonest precaution we can take for our well being. The best you can do is take care of your brain and let it take care of you in return.