Concussions have been in the news a lot lately, as they are becoming more and more recognized as serious injuries. Many people are wondering how concussions are treated, and if there is anything that can be done to prevent them from happening. In this article, we will discuss how sports doctors help with concussions.
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that is caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, which can damage nerve cells and lead to bruising or bleeding on the brain. Concussions are also known as closed head injuries because there is no open wound on the scalp. It’s important for people who have suffered concussions to be evaluated by medical professionals for proper treatment and prevention strategies to be implemented.
If you’re an athlete and you think you might have a concussion, it’s important to see a sports doctor. They can help diagnose your injury and provide treatment options. Here are some of the ways that sports doctors can help with concussions:
A sports doctor can perform a physical exam to diagnose the injury and determine what treatment options are best for your situation. They will also ask questions about how you were injured, any symptoms experienced since then, or if there have been previous brain injuries to assess your risk of having another one down the road. If needed they may also do an MRI scan on yourself as well so that we know exactly where it’s located within the body before trying any other types of treatments which could be detrimental without knowing this information first hand.
There are a variety of treatment options that sports doctors can offer for concussions. Some common treatments include rest which is probably the most important thing you can do when you have a concussion. It allows your brain to heal and reduces your risk of having another concussion. You will likely need to take some time off from work or school, and you should avoid physical activity until your doctor says it’s okay. Physical therapy that is a kind of treatment involves working to regain strength and improve flexibility in your neck muscles. This will help prevent future concussions from happening because it makes the area around where your brain sits stronger, which can reduce movement when there is an impact again. Medication may also be prescribed to help with symptoms like headaches, nausea, and dizziness. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms after your concussion, it’s important to let your doctor know so they can prescribe the appropriate medication.
Recovery from a concussion can take weeks or months and you must see your sports doctor regularly during this time. They will monitor your symptoms and how well they’re improving to make sure everything is going well with treatment options. Your sports doctor may also recommend making adjustments if needed such as changing medications for more severe headaches or adding physical therapy sessions twice per week instead of three times weekly because the current plan isn’t working out quite right yet but you’ll need some other type of treatment option later on down the line anyway so might as well try something else while we wait until then.
A sports doctor can help prevent future concussions by telling you how to safely return to physical activity. They may also recommend wearing protective headgear during all sporting events and practices because the risk of another concussion is greater after one has already occurred before this point in time which means that we’ll need some type of protection when involved with any other kind of contact sport right away rather than waiting until things get worse before doing anything about it then. You should always follow these recommendations, even if they seem silly or unnecessary at first glance but they’re not. The best way to ensure your safety is following precautions such as being aware of your surroundings while playing sports like football so no one gets hurt again later on down the line because it could very easily happen again if you’re not careful enough about these things now.
Concussions are serious injuries that can have lasting effects. When you suffer from one, make sure to seek out the help of a sports doctor who is trained in treating concussions and preventing them in the future. Call us today if you need more information on how we can help diagnose and treat this type of injury.
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, including back injuries. 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!
925-934-3536
stephen.chen@eastbaysportsdoc.com