Concussion Recovery
What To Expect During Concussion Recovery
Concussion recovery times and variances in symptoms are different for each and every case, as the injury so rarely occurs in the same place, and an individual’s reaction to such trauma will vary greatly from one person to the next. Depending upon how severe the concussion, recovery can take anywhere from one week to years. There are cases when concussion can cause full comatose conditions, eventually stealing muscle tone and organ function from the victim. Concussion can cause mild to severe brain damage, and though it is most often temporary, the healing time for an injury such as this one can vary as vastly as the circumstances which cause concussion.
For children, there are many different concussion recovery variables, and you will need to keep diligent watch over them for at least the first week in order to assess their progress. When the brain is traumatized in this manner, it will usually cause a slight to severe change in cognitive functions, and sometimes a few lapses in normal physical abilities. In mild cases, this will usually include mild nausea and sleepiness, which is sometimes countered by difficulty actually getting to sleep or sleep disturbance, headache, cloudiness and inability to focus on tasks or favorite things, and loss of appetite. Depending on your individual circumstances, you may have blurred vision and ringing in the ears, or even occasional vomiting. As long as your doctor is aware of these conditions, and they are improving, you may not need to worry about it.
Concussion recovery for most severe cases will begin at the hospital, and you may need to remain there for days or weeks depending on the amount of damage done to the tender matters of the brain. Some cases may even require surgery if there is excessive swelling of the brain, and under these conditions an exit area needs to be created for the pressure within the skull to be released. This is more common when the concussion is the result of a serious injury, such as the impact caused by a long fall or a car accident.
Concussion recovery at home can be made more comfortable for victim if not too much is asked of the body or mind for a few days to a few weeks. This is a true injury, and even the mildest cases have still caused brain damage. This is nothing to fool with, so give your body and mind plenty of time and rest to recoup and to heal. Watch for warning signs that may indicate a worsening condition, such as vomiting or blurred vision that wasn’t there before, and keep in touch with your family and your doctor about everything that you are experiencing.