A concussion involves bleeding/swelling of the brain
False! Concussion is a functional disturbance rather than structural, with no bleeding/swelling involved.1 CT Scan/MRI of the brain would look completely normal if you are suffering from a concussion.1 Although they can be useful to detect more serious brain injuries (i.e. subdural hematoma, shown left ←), they actually contribute little for the diagnosis of a concussion.
By James Heilman, MD (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
In order for you to sustain a concussion, you must get hit in the head
False! You do NOT always have to get hit in the head to develop a concussion. “Concussion” means “to shake” in Latin.1 A hit to the head, face, neck, shoulder, chest, back, even hip…any force that is strong enough to shake your brain can cause a concussion.1,4
By Jim Ferguson [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
If you didn’t pass out, it’s not a concussion
False! Statistics show that >95% of all concussions happen WITHOUT any loss of consciousness.2 More common signs include (but not limited to):
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Headache
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Nausea, Vomiting
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Fatigue, Dizziness, Lightheadedness
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Double or blurry vision, Ringing in a ear
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Poor balance, Delayed reaction time
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Personality change (feel sad, depressed, frustrated, angry for no reason)
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Memory issues, Inability to concentrate
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Sleep disturbance (either cannot sleep or sleep excessively)
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Sensitivity to noises and/or lights
A wide variety of signs and symptoms are possible. A person would often describe his/her feeling of “being in a fog,” or “just don’t feel right.”1,2
"SingletonBox-knockout". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/ wiki/File: SingletonBox-knockout.jpg#/media/File:SingletonBox-knockout.jpg
Common Concussion Myths
Athletes, coaches and parents are often given false information on sport-related concussion.
Did you know all of these are complete myths?
If a concussion is minor, you may return to activity as long as headache is not too bad
False! The old grading criteria (i.e. mild, moderate, severe) are GONE3 – concussions are concussions, and they all must be taken seriously.1,4 In addition, it is now nationally and internationally agreed that “absolutely no same-day return-to-play is allowed”1,3,4 – once diagnosed with concussion, you go through the gradual progression of activities (i.e. light jogging → running → non-contact drills → full contact) under the professional supervision, and must be cleared by a licensed healthcare provider to fully return to competition.1,4 If you are to “play through” a concussion, it will only delay your recovery – initial physical and mental rest is the key.5,6 Listen to the pros!
"Ravens vs Steelers 2008 MNF 3" by Andy from Pittsburgh, United States - the snap. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons. wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ravens_vs_Steelers_2008_MNF_3.jpg#/media/File:Ravens_vs_Steelers_2008_MNF_3.jpg