Any type of brain injury has the potential to throw your life into turmoil. In addition to the pain and discomfort, you may find it difficult to live your day-to-day life.
While a concussion is not the most serious brain injury, it’s nothing to take lightly. If you neglect to receive the appropriate treatment, it could result in additional damage and a longer recovery period.
Upon presenting at the hospital, your medical team will conduct a neurological examination. When combined with cognitive testing, this is often enough for your doctor to determine if you have a concussion.
However, since they’ll want to rule out other injuries, such as a skull fracture and bleeding on the brain, imaging tests are typically ordered. These include:
- X-ray
- MRI
- CT scan
Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may want you to remain in the hospital for 24 to 48 hours (possibly longer) for observation. Most importantly, they’ll want to ensure that your symptoms aren’t worsening and that you’re able to awake normally from you sleep.
Concussion treatment typically entails the following:
- Getting enough rest to give your brain time to recover
- Avoiding physically and mentally strenuous activity
- Shortening your work or school days until your symptoms are gone for good
- The use of pain relievers, such as Tylenol, to reduce the impact of symptoms
The most important thing to remember is that you must give your brain time to recover. If you jump back into your normal life too quickly, your symptoms could worsen. This also increases the risk of hitting your head once again, which can result in an even more serious injury.
If you have any reason to believe you have a brain injury, don’t hesitate to seek immediate medical treatment.
After you receive a diagnosis and have a treatment plan in place, learn more about the cause of your injury. For example, if you suffered a concussion in a motor vehicle accident, you can file an insurance claim and seek compensation from the negligent driver.
Visit our website and read our past blog posts for more information on brain injuries, motor vehicle accidents and other related subject matter.