Concussions Management and Symptoms to Watch out for

Senior female emergency room doctor holds up two fingers to young injured soccer player.

Alteration in your brain structure and physical activities are immediate effects you are likely to have with a San Diego concussion. According to the team at MindSet, the mild form of brain injury has the potential of causing long-term behavioral and emotional effects in victims. Concussions not only affect athletes. Anyone with a traumatic head injury may have concussions.   

What are the symptoms you are likely to have with concussions?

  • Headache
  •  Irritability
  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Anxiety
  • Poor sleeping habits
  • Sensitivity to sound and light
  • Blurry vision
  • Insomnia
  • Sadness

Concussions can be challenging to diagnose, thanks to their inability to appear instantly. Additionally, the symptoms may happen without an apparent head injury.

How can you manage concussions?

A significant percentage of concussions resolve within ten days. However, the duration may vary, especially with children and teens. Since concussions may cause emotional, mental, or physical complications, your healthcare provider might advise you to have a team of people around to ensure safety. Your team might include a therapist, family members or friends, and a personal doctor. Besides offering you the support you are likely to need, the individuals will also watch out for worrying symptoms that might need immediate medical intervention.  

However, the essential part of concussion management is rest. Thus, your doctor might advise you to minimize your mental and physical activities. You must avoid a re-injury, especially if you are an athlete to reduce your risk of worsening your symptoms. Since your recovery phase might involve significant emotional elements, the medical professional might advise you to minimize your exposure to stressful instances. Unfortunately, forced rest might be a possible trigger as you may find yourself worrying about work, team, or school activities. As a result, your doctor might only recommend one week’s rest to lower the chances of worsening your stressful symptoms that might worsen your psychological symptoms. 

How can a concussion affect your emotional wellness?

While physical signs accompanying concussions might resolve over time independently, emotional issues might last longer than you expect. Thus, you must work closely with your doctor and report any unusual signs. For instance, do not hesitate to see your doctor when you start experiencing behavioral challenges like sadness because they might be shouting signs that the concussions are still active. Other signs your healthcare provider might advise you to watch out for include a depressive mood, panic, or increased anxiety. Ensure to report your feelings to your family members or therapist to help you monitor the frustrating symptoms.

Most of the emotional issues you might face with concussions result from after-effects and their impact on your overall well-being. For instance, you might feel left out in critical decision-making or when you cannot attend practice. Knowing how concussions might impact your general wellness might help your recovery process. By understanding the condition, you will learn how to manage your emotional health and when to seek professional assistance. Without proper help, you might develop post-concussion syndrome. Your doctor might diagnose post-concussion syndrome when you have a minimum of three of these symptoms:

  • Memory loss
  • Inability to handle stressful situations
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Insomnia
  • Depression
  • Low self-esteem
  • Permanent fear of possible anxiety triggers
  •  Enhanced emotional excitement
  • Fatigue
  • Unrelenting headaches

Contact your doctor for more details on concussions and how they can affect your health.