Car Accident Post Concussion Symptoms

 Posted on September 23, 2019 in Car Accidents

Concussions are considered mild traumatic brain injuries that occur when a person sustains a blow to the head or is violently shaken. Concussions must be taken seriously and should be treated properly. Those who sustain a concussion in a car accident should seek medical assistance immediately so the doctor can make a diagnosis and rule out a more serious injury. Each concussion is different, and you need to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of this injury.

If you or someone you know has suffered a concussion after a car accident, ensure him/her sees a doctor as soon as possible after the accident. Once the victim is cleared from the hospital, contact Kanoski Bresney to discuss the details of your case over a free consultation.

The statistics behind concussions

According to the latest year of data from the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were 311,679 total motor vehicle crashes across the state. Out of those, there were:

• 66,889 total injury crashes
• 998 fatal crashes

Car accidents, even at low speeds, can cause a person to hit their head hard enough to cause a concussion. For crashes at higher speeds, passengers can sustain concussions due to striking their head as well as due to their bodies being whipped around inside the vehicle. Our brains are surrounded by a fluid that keeps them from bouncing around inside our skull. Violent shaking that results from a crash can cause the brain to hit the inside of the skull.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that falls and car accidents were the first and second leading cause of all traumatic brain injuries that resulted in hospitalization.

Common concussion symptoms

There are various signs and symptoms of a concussion. They can be obvious or more subtle, and they may not show up immediately after a crash. These symptoms can last for days, weeks, or longer. According to the Mayo Clinic, victims of a car accident should watch out for:

• Headache or a feeling of pressure in the head
• Temporary loss of consciousness
• Confusion or feeling as if in a fog
• Amnesia about the car crash
• Dizziness or "seeing stars"
• Ringing in the ears
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Slurred speech
• Delayed response to questions
• Appearing dazed
• Fatigue
• Cognitive problems

What are the symptoms of delayed concussion?

After a concussion, some people have longer-lasting effects. This is referred to as “post-concussion syndrome.”

Post-concussion syndrome has the same signs and symptoms of a concussion, but they last for long periods of time. Not everyone who has sustained a head injury experiences post-concussion symptoms. This syndrome may be worse for those who have had previous concussions of head injuries.

What is the proper treatment for concussions?

A doctor will evaluate the signs and symptoms a person is experiencing and conduct a neurological examination to diagnose a concussion. In some cases, a person with a concussion may need to stay in the hospital for observation, particularly if the concussion is serious.

The most common treatment for concussion victims is rest. The brain needs time to recover from the injury. This includes both physical and mental rest. All activities that increase a person’s symptoms must be avoided. Activities that require prolonged thinking and concentration, such as schoolwork, reading, computer time, video games, and more should also be limited.

As symptoms improve, a person can gradually add more activities to their schedule, but concussion victims need to wait for their doctor to give the green light before returning to physical activity. The effects of concussions are cumulative. If a person sustains another concussion before they have had a chance to heal from the previous one, their symptoms could be much worse.