Each year in the United States, 1.1 million people suffer from a concussion, according to Penn State's Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. This type of head injury can result from an object hitting the head or the head colliding with another object. A concussion can occur as the result of a car accident or sports injury. For example, when a car suddenly stops, the brain can significantly move, which can lead to unconsciousness. When a person sustains a concussion, the brain can swell, causing increased pressure in the brain, which can damage to the brain tissue. The MayoClinic.com points out that some people can have symptoms months after the initial injury.
Changes in Cognition, Vision and Speech
Brain swelling from a concussion can cause changes in patients' mental faculties. For example, patients may become drowsy or have problems waking up. Some patients may lose consciousness. MedlinePlus explains that the duration of unconsciousness may reveal how severe the concussion is. Confusion and problems thinking straight can occur. The MayoClinic.com notes that some patients may not remember the events that caused the concussion.
A concussion can also affect patients' vision and speech. For example, patients may have slurred speech. MedlinePlus points out that patients may see flashing lights after a concussion. Patients may have blurry vision. Unusual eye movements may occur, such as uncontrollable eye movements.
Development of Seizures
Increased intracranial pressure from the brain swelling can affect the brain's electrical activity, causing seizures. MedlinePlus explains that seizures rarely continue past 15 minutes. Some patients may lose consciousness when they have a seizure. If a patient loses consciousness during the seizure, she may not remember it occurring. Changes in vision and skin sensation can occur. For example, patients may see flashing lights during the seizure. Certain types of seizures, like generalized tonic-clonic seizures, cause a loss of muscle control.
Other Concussion Symptoms from Brain Swelling
The swelling of the brain from the concussion can make patients feel ill. The swelling causes pressure to build up in the brain, which can cause patients to have a headache, according to MedlinePlus. Patients may have nausea or vomit after sustaining the head injury. The MayoClinic.com adds that some people may feel dizzy.
Patients can have problems with movement as a result of the brain swelling. For example, they can have muscle weakness that affects their arms and legs. MedlinePlus notes that the muscle weakness can affect one side of the body or both. If the muscle weakness occurs in the patient's legs, it can cause walking problems. Weakness in the arms can affect patients' ability to lift objects.
References:
Penn State's Milton S. Hershey Medical Center: Concussion
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Concussion
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Seizures
Elizabeth Stannard Gromisch - Elizabeth Stannard Gromisch is a recent graduate of Trinity College in Hartford, CT with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in ...
