Since concussions are physical injuries to the brain, they require immediate attention and specific treatment. Angel J. Garcia, MD, at El Paso Center For Family & Sports Medicine in El Paso, Texas, is board-certified in sports medicine and understands how to treat concussions to avoid complications. To receive expert care after a possible concussion, call or book an appointment online with Dr. Garcia today.
People with a concussion may experience any of the following symptoms:
There's no single test for diagnosing a concussion. A CT scan detects bleeding and swelling in the brain, and MRIs detect brain abnormalities, but neither is a foolproof test. New research indicates that a hearing test may help determine if a patient has a concussion.
Dr. Garcia asks patients to perform a series of physical and mental tasks to help diagnose a concussion after a blow to the head. He checks balance, coordination, reflexes, vision, and hearing. He also tests memory, the ability to recall information and concentrate, and also looks for signs of mental confusion.
Before a patient embarks on regular exercise or a sports activity, Dr. Garcia recommends taking a baseline concussion test online that measures reaction time, memory capacity, the speed of mental processing, and executive functioning of the brain.
Then, if a patient suffers an injury that may be a concussion, performance after the injury can be compared with the baseline performance.
Patients who lose consciousness after a blow to the head require treatment at a hospital. For a mild concussion, Dr. Garcia recommends taking the following measures:
If the concussion is causing significant problems, Dr. Garcia writes a note excusing patients from school or work. The brain needs complete rest from mental tasks, including watching TV or using a computer. When returning to normal activity, it needs to be done in small steps.
Most people recover from a concussion with no complications. Some patients, though, take months to recover and may experience persistent symptoms related to the injury.
In some instances, a concussion causes a blood clot in the brain. If a person displays any of the following symptoms after a blow to the head or body, they must go to the emergency room:
If individuals start having seizures or cannot fully wake up, someone with them needs to call 911.
To learn more about concussions, call Dr. Garcia today or make an appointment using the online booking tool.
