Treatment
for concussions
A concussion is not an injury to take lightly, and if not treated properly fatal injuries will occur to the brains function. In some cases, patients will have a sudden loss of consciousness (LOC) when the head injury is severe. In other cases, patients’ symptoms will not be present until hours or days after. It is important to watch one’s symptoms throughout the entire process to compare progress throughout.
It is nearly impossible to predict how long the recovery process will take.
While there is no cure for a concussion, treatment is vital to help with the healing process. Keep in mind these treatment methods that may help with symptoms:
get plenty of sleep and rest
avoid visual and sensory stimuli
ease into normal activities
avoid tiring activities
do not drink alcohol
avoid flying
only take prescribed drugs approved by your doctor
ask teachers/ employers if returning to school/ work can be gradually implemented
avoid video games and TV screens
avoid strenuous activities
Do not participate in any events that could lead to a concussion (amusement park rides, operating machinery, playground activities, and sports).
exercise and manual therapy
nutrition changes
vestibular and visual rehab
get a doctor's permission before driving, operating machinery or riding a bike.
Health Comes First
SCAT 5 Test
A SCAT-5 evaluation is used for any patient with physical changes following a head injury. The SCAT-5 is to be given first when the incident occurs creating a baseline from the beginning symptoms. The test should be performed in more than 10 minutes but less than 15 minutes for a correct reading. The athletic trainer or physician administering the SCAT-5 test must take note of red flags, signs of concussions, memory impairment, and an examination of a possible loss of consciousness (LOC). The test giver should also give a cervical spine assessment to check for any further, life threating injures. Â It is important to note that a SCAT-5 test does not diagnosis a concussion or help with treatments for a concussion.
Return to Learn
If a patient is student, they will be required to follow the Kansas protocol for returning to school and to play. Patients can return to school once they are symptom free for 45 minuets, and can complete activities using thinking, fine motor skills, and reading. It is important for teachers and fellow classmates to observe signs and symptoms that are frequent or life threatening such as a prolonged headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, impaired balance, memory loss, ringing of the ears, confusion, loss of consciousness (LOC), periods of amnesia, seizure, or extreme abnormalities in behavior.
Return to Play
If the patient is an athlete, the school’s athletic trainer will have to help with evaluating and collaborating with the athlete’s physician to return to play. The Kansas concussions Guidelines have the athlete partake in a process called Return to Play before they can actively return back to their sport. This would include a five-step process, and clearance by a certified physician. The patients must present an absence of symptoms throughout partaking in exercises while at practice before returning to game or meets.
Nutrition Treatment Methods
When you have a concussion you essentially damage your neurons—the neurons get stretched out and then can't communicate with one another very well. To respond to this, the levels of a natural chemical called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) drop. BDNF is important because it helps damaged neurons recover. New Scientific studies show raising your BDNF levels can help you bounce back more quickly from a concussion.
