Concussion aka mild traumatic brain injury involves injury to the head with temporary affect to the functioning of the brain. It is often accompanied by loss of consciousness; memory loss; headaches; cognitive difficulty, problems with concentration or balance; nausea; blurred vision; dizziness; sleep and mood issues.
These manifestations can happen immediately or later during the course of injury.
I have had one concussion that I know of. In the eighth grade I was pushed down at the school bus stop and struck the back of my head on the pavement.
Today is National Concussion Awareness Day.
It is held on the third Friday of September annually under the auspices of the Brain Injury Association of America making it September 20 this year.
Concussions are commonly associated with injuries during sporting events but are also brought on by other non-sporting activities like vehicle collisions, falls, and accidents involving recreation.
The day is a vehicle for dissemination of information between health care providers and patients regarding traumatic brain injury.
Ideally, traumatic brain injury is supposed to be handled with care but sometimes the condition goes unrecognized and has the potential to cause further problems.