While some people can recover quickly from concussions, others experience problems with concentration, thinking, sleep and headaches for as long as three months or even longer. With proper care from a healthcare professional, those who have suffered concussions can have a smoother recovery, according to an expert at Baylor College of Medicine (www.bcm.edu).
“The diagnosis of concussion is changing. Any blow to the head or injury involving the head that causes a change in thinking or sensation is now considered a concussion,” said Dr. Craig DiTommaso (https://www.bcm.edu/healthcare/find-a-physician/details/index.cfm?id=2229), assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at BCM.
Falls are the most common cause of concussions and motor vehicle accidents are the second most common.
“There is no easy treatment for concussions,” said DiTommaso. “It’s really all about making sure the person has the right therapies and allowing the brain to heal without reinjuring it.”
He says that therapies can include working with a physical therapist, an occupational therapist and even a speech therapist after the incident. Further cognitive testing may be required to determine a treatment plan.
Although concussions may resolve on their own, if you get the right treatment at the right time, it could result in a faster recovery or an improved level of recovery, said DiTommaso.
His recent research addressed people who experience headaches following concussions, and he found that most took over-the-counter medications, which were not effective for the majority of people in treating the headaches. DiTommaso emphasizes the importance of working with a physician familiar with headaches after concussions to ensure the proper course of treatment.
