Recognizing and Treating Concussions

In the active world that we live in here, it is important to always be safe and wear the right equipment for an individual’s sport. Even with proper safety gear, concussions can occur in many activities such as football, soccer and lacrosse, but also occur with mountain biking and skiing. Even for those not participating in a contact sport, a fall on the ice or trip on a sidewalk can lead to a concussion.

Dr. Carrie Jaworski, associate director of Sports Performance at Intermountain Park City Hospital’s Sports Performance Center, said “Recognizing the signs of concussion are important so that proper care can be initiated early on. Just as important is seeing the right provider to help you care for your concussion so that you can get back to doing the things you love quickly and safely.”

Dr. Jaworski gives these key thoughts for consideration:

1. A concussion is a “mild traumatic brain injury” and needs to be treated as such. Ignoring a concussion won’t make it go away and can potentially lead to more prolonged symptoms.
2. A concussion can occur even without a direct blow to the head or loss of consciousness. Essentially anything that causes the brain to shift within the skull can lead to concussive symptoms.
   1. Common symptoms include headaches, light/sound sensitivity, dizziness, trouble concentrating, fatigue or mood changes
   2. Not all headaches are concussions and not all hits to the head mean a concussion. This is sometimes difficult to determine, so seeing experts in the field is important.
3. The majority of concussions will resolve in 2-4 weeks. Symptoms that are lasting longer may require medications or specific treatments such as physical or vestibular therapy.
   1. It is important to receive care from those experienced in the care of concussions as the treatment algorithms are evolving regularly and recognizing the need for additional treatments is paramount in helping symptoms to resolve in a timely manner.
4. The latest research supports early movement and exercise rather than rest. This should only be done under the guidance of providers who are well versed in concussion management.
   1. Intermountain Healthcare has Physicians, Physical Therapists and Athletic Trainers who stay up to date on best practices and will assist patients/athletes in getting back to their activities, work and sports in the quickest, safest way possible.
5. If you or a loved one sustains a concussion, the sooner the person gets back to their normal routine, the better.
6. In Sports Medicine we also encourage including several concussion screening tests as part of one’s sports physical. We check things such as balance and visual movements before a concussion happens in order to have a baseline in the event a concussion is sustained.

“Concussions can happen to anyone, but if managed properly, most people will do well and resume normal activities without longstanding issues,” said Dr. Jaworski.

For more information or to find a provider, see https://intermountainhealthcare.org/services/sports-medicine-performance/ or https://intermountainhealthcare.org/services/neurosciences/conditions/concussion/.

About Intermountain Healthcare

Based in Utah with locations in seven states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Healthcare is a nonprofit system of 33 hospitals, 385 clinics, medical groups with some 3,800 employed physicians and advanced practice providers, a health plans division with more than one million members called SelectHealth, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For more information, see Intermountain Healthcare.

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