preview

College Essay On Concussions

Decent Essays

What is a concussion? How does it happen? How long does it last? How is it treated? What are the symptoms? A concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury. Over 3,800,000 concussions were reported in 2012, double of what was reported in 2002 (“Stats on Concussions”). A concussion is mild, but serious, brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) happen when the brain bounces off the inside of the skull. The brain is shaken, causing the brain to function in different ways. There are two different forces, linear, and rotational. The force linear is a straight on force. The brain bounces forward and backward. The rotational force is when the brain rotates side to side. Linear causing bruising and tearing, while rotational stretches the …show more content…

That is why people should recognize the symptoms of a concussion. There are four categories symptoms fall into, somatic, emotional, sleep disturbance, and cognitive. The symptoms that are experienced the most are headaches, nausea, balance problems, dizziness, light and noise sensitivity, and troubles remembering. There are many other symptoms that people experience though. In some cases people have experienced anosmia, or lost their sense of smell from a brain injury (Cantu and Hyman). Knowing the symptoms of a brain injury is important but, getting treated is even more …show more content…

The answer to that question is as simple as a yes. Even though concussions and mild traumatic brain injuries usually only last ten to fourteen days, if they are not treated properly they can lead to further brain damage. If the brain does not get the rest it needs after a concussion it becomes stressed. A stressed brain can lead to poor performance in school and sports. Focusing for little amounts of time can become impossible, emotional outbursts occur, mental illnesses can develop, and grades can drop. However if the concussion is treated none of that will happen. People can avoid life changing events like mental breakdowns and brain damage if they take a week’s worth of time off. Taking care of the brain and body is important (Roberts Stoler and Albers

Get Access