Concussions are serious injuries that can impact your life in many ways. One of the most common questions about concussions is whether or not you have to stay awake after having one. This advice was based on the notion that sleeping with a concussion may result in a coma or even death. This article will answer this question and give helpful tips on what to do if you experience a concussion.
Following a concussion, medical professionals increasingly concur that staying awake is not required. However, it is critical to wake a person with a concussion every few hours to verify that their symptoms are not worsening.
A concussion will not put you in a coma or kill you. The concussion, on the other hand, might result in significant and perhaps life-threatening consequences as a result of the head trauma that produced it. As one of the symptoms after a concussion, sleeping should not be an issue. However, there is still a concern because your family or physicians are unaware that you may have significant brain injury showing as weakness on one side of the body or seizures while they think you’re merely asleep. It’s always best to be informed of the reasons for staying awake so that you can:
After suffering a minor concussion, you may have various symptoms but current medical guidance recommends rest and sleep as long as the following apply:
If you are a student and have hit your head, take the day off from school to stay home. If at any point during this time period you feel that something is not right or if there has been no improvement in symptoms since the injury occurred, immediately visit your doctor for an examination. These steps can help ensure proper recovery after a head injury – even when it seems like just some bumps and bruises rather than anything serious! Things to keep in mind:
Walking is typically safe if you are feeling well enough and the symptoms aren’t becoming worse. However, avoid any strenuous exercise until given permission by your healthcare practitioners like jogging or cycling because these elevate heart rate which can cause more damage after having had a head injury such as a concussion.
You should avoid the following activities as much as possible in the first 24 hours after a concussion:
If you have a more severe concussion, pain medications like aspirin and ibuprofen may increase your risk of a brain hemorrhage. Acetaminophen, however, could be an alternative if taken in moderation.
If you must use pain medication after concussions or other injuries that cause head trauma it is important to be cautious about how much you take because the brief alleviation causes some people to feel great enough to resume normal activities before fully recovering when they should rest instead.
If you’re wondering about what to do if someone is experiencing a serious head injury or concussion, the most recent research seems to indicate that it’s generally safe for them to go to sleep. This doesn’t mean they should just get up and run around! In some cases, doctors may recommend waking the person regularly so as not to let their condition worsen. Feel free to contact us with any questions on this topic – we have plenty of experience handling these kinds of injuries.
Dr. Chen sees patients at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital Center for Sports Medicine in Walnut Creek, California. He is a board-certified Pediatrician and Sports Medicine Doctor that specializes in the non-operative medical treatment of a wide variety of various musculoskeletal conditions. Dr. Chen graduated from St. George’s University School of Medicine and went on to complete Pediatric residency training at the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey (Rutgers), then went on to fellowship training in Sports Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, one of the perennially top-ranked children’s hospitals in the nation. There he provided sideline coverage for NCAA Division I athletics at the University of Cincinnati and Miami University (OH). Since graduating, Dr. Chen has continued his love of sports coverage by volunteering for the San Francisco Marathon, the San Francisco Giant Race, and as the team physician for Northgate High School in Walnut Creek. Being a part of The Center for Sports Medicine allows Dr. Chen quick access to a multidisciplinary team of orthopedic surgeons, podiatrists, physiatrists, and physical therapists to return you to your highest functional level quickly and safely. Click here to contact us for your next appointment!
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stephen.chen@eastbaysportsdoc.com