What Are the 3 Types of Concussions?
- Posted on: May 15 2022
Athletes aren’t the only kind of people who can suffer from concussions. Anyone who receives a strong enough blow to the head can experience this traumatic brain injury, and the effects of the event can cause life-threatening symptoms if left untreated.
Falls are one of the most common causes of concussions, but other things can cause them too, like getting hit in the head with a ball during sports, or something as banal as hitting your head on a cabinet in your house.
Doctors rank the severity of concussions based on how long symptoms last and whether or not the person loses consciousness. We’ll discuss what the three types of concussions are and how they are classified based on their symptoms.
Symptoms of a Concussion
The physical signs of a concussion can include headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, or blurry vision. Other symptoms can include experiencing confusion right after, ‘seeing stars’, slurred speech, or having a dazed appearance on your face.
Losing consciousness is one of the most severe symptoms that can occur after a head injury, and you should seek immediate medical attention if this happens. One way doctors classify concussions is based on the scale below:
- Grade 1 Mild: With this concussion level, you may experience a headache after injuring your head, as well as having some dizziness or nausea. People do not lose consciousness with grade 1 concussions and symptoms tend to subside after about 15 minutes. These are usually caused by minor car accidents or sports injuries.
- Grade 2 Moderate: Moderate concussions include a head injury that results in symptoms lasting longer than 15 minutes but does not result in loss of consciousness. Brief amnesia may occur, as well as ringing in the ears. Many things can cause these types of concussions, like serious falls, car accidents, or being struck by an object.
- Grade 3 Severe: Concussions are considered severe if the person loses consciousness for any amount of time. The symptoms described above can last anywhere from a few hours to weeks after the head injury, and the person needs immediate medical attention if this happens.
Don’t Risk It
If you or someone you know has experienced a head injury, it’s always best to be safe than sorry. Getting checked out by a doctor is the only way you can make sure your injuries won’t result in life-threatening problems.
Posted in: Concussions