Knowing all the main signs, symptoms of a concussion, treatment can be started in a timely manner, if necessary. If special therapy is not required, knowing what happened, you can keep the condition under control and monitor changes. Consider the features of the manifestations of concussion in adults and minors.
Relevance of the issue
Doctors knowingly know so well what are the signs of a blow to the head, a concussion - this is common, happens to many. From medical statistics, you can find out that, on average, 75% of cases of cerebral concussions account for the number of CNS injuries. The consequences of an injury affect a person's he alth, can change his social opportunities, due to which the timely prevention of concussion comes to the fore, as well as education of the general public in aspects of the symptoms of the phenomenon.
Experiencing concussion symptoms after impactmany can head. The risk group includes people who use transport, go in for sports, and work at various production facilities. Concussions are not uncommon in children. You can get injured at home. Diagnosis of the condition is difficult, since the manifestations are close to cervical osteochondrosis, vascular insufficiency, and high blood pressure. Doctors say that in about half of the cases the patient's condition is assessed incorrectly (as more severe than it is, or vice versa).
Terms and phenomena
Before considering what are the signs of a concussion in a child and an adult, it is necessary to refer to the accepted terminology. A concussion refers to damage to the tissues of an organ, the nervous and vascular systems, membranes, and bones. This can happen due to an unsuccessful fall, hitting a hard surface. Irreversible consequences are possible. So far, there is no exact description of the processes occurring in the brain after an impact. Doctors believe that concussion leads to dysfunction of individual cellular nerve structures, malnutrition of tissues and displacement of the layers of the brain relative to each other. Microscopic bruises, edema are formed, blood penetrates from the vessels into nearby tissues. An MRI does not show the presence of significant changes in the morphology of the organ.
If signs of a concussion in an adult, a child allow us to suspect a severe course, there is a possibility of serious damage to certain elements of the brain. Blood vessels may rupture. This leads to loss of consciousnessseconds or even minutes. The duration of unconsciousness allows you to assess the severity of the injury. The coma speaks of the worst-case scenario.
Primary manifestations
The first sign of a concussion is the inability to realize what happened, as soon as the person regained consciousness. Often it is not possible to figure out where you are, to recognize the people around. The severity of the condition is assessed by the level of retrograde amnesia. The shaking is the more significant, the longer the time period cannot be remembered. The symptom is explained by a violation of the most important respiratory and regulating the work of the heart, the circulatory system of the brain centers.
A symptom that helps in diagnosing a concussion is pallor of the skin in the first hours after the injury. The person feels weak, there is noise in the ears, and the head is spinning. Often worried about pain in the head - a strong pulsation in the back of the head. Some vomit, vomit. Breathing may become frequent. A concussion can cause your heart rate to increase or your heart rate to slow down. After some time, the parameters return to normal. The pressure may become higher than average, but may remain at an average level - this is determined by injury, concomitant aggressive factors. The temperature remains normal.
How to suspect something is wrong?
The signs and symptoms of a concussion include a violation of the functionality of the organs of vision. Some feel pain when moving their eyeballs, others find it more difficult to focus their eyes. Pupils can expand or narrow, become different in size. A typical manifestation of a concussion is the divergence of the eyes when trying to read.
Doctors, professionals know how to recognize a concussion, what to do to help the victim, but any person should have a general idea about this. In particular, one should be aware of what manifestations after an injury or a blow to the head signal the need to seek qualified help. These include increased activity of the sweat glands and hot flashes, especially pronounced in the face. Some feel uncomfortable. Sleep may be disturbed.
Status Progress
Typically, the manifestations of a concussion pass within the next two weeks after the injury. It is important to remember about the possibility of long-term preservation of he alth disorders. In particular, such a sign of a concussion in an adult, a child, like a headache, can disturb for a long time against the background of high blood pressure. It is noted that people who have suffered concussions suffer from more significant, intense, prolonged headaches.
Signs and symptoms of mild and severe concussion are determined by the characteristics of the human body. In many ways, they depend on age. For example, if a concussion happened in a baby, a young child, usually there is no loss of consciousness in principle. At the time of injury, the skin turns pale, which is especially noticeable in the face, the heartbeat increases. Gradually, the child becomes lethargic, he is constantly drawn to sleep. Quite often, regurgitation is observed, the baby vomits. Atsome sleep is disturbed. Possible concern. If a preschool child has been injured, the symptoms usually clear up within a couple of days.
Age and manifestations: features
The first symptoms of a concussion in people of the age group up to middle age, inclusive, are almost always accompanied by loss of consciousness. The older the person, the higher the likelihood of losing the ability to navigate in time, space immediately after injury.
Neurological manifestations with a mild form of damage exhaust themselves in a couple of weeks. Brain metabolism still goes wrong for a year, sometimes longer.
Common symptoms
The most common signs of a concussion are nausea and vomiting. This is possible while the person is still unconscious. If it is not known what happened to the victim, a concussion can be assumed from the gag reflex.
After any blow to the head, a person feels pain. This signals a variety of injuries, including a concussion. The patient is either too active, or he is constantly drawn to sleep, the state is lethargic. Coordination failures may be noted, obviously indicating brain damage. Possible dizziness at the same time.
The key sign of a concussion is loss of consciousness. A long period of eclipse is possible or a short one - only a few seconds. When examining a person, you should pay attention to the pupils - whether the shapes and sizes match.
Convulsive state indicates concussion. If a person is conscious, with loud sounds and too bright light, he experiences discomfort. During a conversation, manifestations of confused consciousness are possible. Often a person cannot remember what happened before the injury. A concussion can be indicated by incoherent speech.
Is it that simple?
Gradually, the signs of head shaking become weaker and disappear. If symptoms are observed for a long time that appeared soon after the injury, the cause may be significant, serious disruptions in brain functionality. There is a possibility of swelling of the organ, hematoma, bruising of soft tissues.
The problem of clarifying the state is due to the fact that not every person is able to remember what provoked the concussion. It is not easy to immediately determine whether there are associated injuries or concussion of the lung, no brain areas are affected. For example, it is not uncommon for an injury that provoked a brain concussion to damage the vitreous bone cranial plate. The condition is not accompanied by external manifestations; when examining the patient, the doctor usually diagnoses a slight concussion. There is a danger of complete absence of symptoms. Gradually, the patient's condition becomes worse, but it is not always possible to associate this with a fall, a blow, which complicates the diagnosis.
Sometimes the signs of a concussion are followed by worsening symptoms, indicating unhe althy pressure on the brain tissue. This develops about a couple of weeks after the injury. The condition worsens in stages, andThe therapeutic course often involves urgent surgery. In an impressive percentage of cases, it is impossible to predict the result of the operation in advance.
Where did the trouble come from?
Concussion is associated with getting a bruise, with a sudden movement or blow. In the predominant percentage of cases, concussion is observed against the background of an accident, an injury received at work or at home, and sports activity. The spinal column gives an axial load to the cranial bones, which can cause aggressive mechanical impact on soft tissues when jumping without cushioning or accidentally unpredictable fall.
Volumes between the skull and soft tissues are occupied by a specific liquid - cerebrospinal fluid. It allows you to prevent the negative effects of physical activity. If a person is accidentally hit by something, an inertial counter-directional movement of brain tissues occurs inside the skull, which leads to an increase in local pressure. There is a hydraulic shock. Mechanical possible.
The brain produces forced vibrations that initiate repeated damage. Additionally, the injury is observed due to rotational axial displacement, due to impacts on the protrusions of the skull. The stronger, more unpredictable was the aggressive influence, the more significant the brain damage.
Consequences: hard and not so bad
TBI can cause numerous complications and consequences. The most common syndrome is the so-called “after concussion”. This leads to severe headaches.days and months, sometimes years after the injury. Sometimes the pain is frankly excruciating, patients complain of a splitting head. At the same time, disturbing thoughts come, and the person himself is inclined to get annoyed over trifles. It becomes a problem for him to concentrate attention, fall asleep and wake up, function in society, in the workplace.
When observing such complications, you need to consult a doctor to select a therapeutic course to alleviate the condition. As a rule, a drug program is prescribed, a strict regime of work and rest. Patients are contraindicated in bright light, which significantly increases pain. Analgesics, sedatives and sleeping pills will come to the rescue. In old age, an additional program for the prevention and elimination of multiple sclerosis is prescribed.
Head injury: how to help?
The most significant treatment for concussion symptoms is first aid. If a person retains consciousness all the time or loses it for a very short time, you need to lay the victim horizontally, slightly raising his head. If the patient has lost the creation for a long time, he is turned on his right side and his head is thrown back, turning his face to the surface on which he lies. Next, bend at an angle of 90 degrees leg, arm on the left side. This posture will allow air to easily enter the lungs, which means that the risk of hypoxia is minimized.
After getting injured, you need to get to the doctor. At first, the symptoms of all cases are similar, it is difficult to assess the severitydamage, and it is important to take an x-ray in time to clarify the diagnosis. For the next 48 hours, bed rest is recommended, absolute rest. You can not watch TV, read. Music is prohibited. Drugs prescribed by a doctor will help to calm down, improve sleep, get rid of spinning and pain in the head.
Features of therapy
In most cases, the condition returns to normal within the first week after the injury or twice as long. On average, every third case is accompanied by complications of different severity. The danger of such a development is higher if you endure the condition on your feet. Possible post-traumatic neurosis. TBI can cause epilepsy. A certain percentage of victims are in urgent need of surgery.
In old age, there is a high probability of neurological symptoms and complications that worsen the functioning of the cerebrovascular system. As a result of an injury, blood pressure can rise, the risk of a stroke increases, and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease increases.
If a concussion is transferred, a person is put on observation for the next year. The neurologist checks whether there are any consequences of the injury, how the quality of life changes. If necessary, the doctor recommends a treatment course.
Pharmacy products: what will help?
If it is necessary to correct the condition after an injury, a brain concussion, "Phenobarbital" may be prescribed. The drug belongs to the class of sedatives, improves falling asleep and sleep. The well-known drug "Finlepsin" has a similar effect.
People who have suffered trauma are shown remedies that prevent convulsions and depress reticular formations. The most affordable medicines of this group are hawthorn, motherwort tinctures. Sometimes the doctor advises to stop on Nozepam or Phenazepam tablets. The drug Phenibut, which has a pronounced sedative effect, has proven itself well.
To minimize tissue swelling and expand the vascular passages, shocked people should take Sermion or Eufillin. The specific drug is chosen by the doctor, based on the severity of the condition, indications and contraindications, individual characteristics of the organism. Sometimes the doctor advises to stop at Trental or Cavinton. Memoplant has a good reputation.
What else to use?
After receiving a brain injury, means that reduce the activity of formation of free radicals in organic tissues help to stabilize the condition. Among pharmaceutical preparations, the popular "Glycine" has such an effect. Medicinal compositions "Mexidon" and "Mexiprim" are known for similar qualities.
Stabilization of the state is possible by setting a dropper. An electrolyte solution is injected into a vein. This is especially true in severe cases of concussion. The program is designed to normalize the concentration of potassium ions in brain cells.
If an injury caused asthenia, if the patient is dizzy, the doctor may recommend B vitamins. Vestinorm and Betaserx show good results.
Special case: children affected
It is far from always that parents can find out in time that a child has hit his head. Concussion signs include increased activity. The frequency of brain injury in children is much higher than in adults, due to curiosity, poor coordination. Very rarely a child can adequately assess the level of danger of a situation. The younger the child, the worse his head protection reflexes, which means that a fall with a greater degree of danger can provoke a TBI.
Signs of a concussion in a baby, a small child are different from the manifestations of a brain injury in an adult. The younger the child, the less pronounced the symptoms. Victims rarely lose consciousness. An injury can be suspected by the child's anxiety and tendency to cry. The baby spits up, often vomits, the skin turns pale, the appetite becomes worse. If an infant is injured, the fontanel may swell. Some children cannot sleep, others are constantly drawn to sleep. But at school age, injured people lose consciousness more often than babies. At this age, there is already a danger of minor amnesia. The child complains of a sore head, sweats profusely, is apathetic or irritable, capricious, tends to cry. Pressure check shows instability.
