What is Concussion?
Brain Support & Resources
Brain Injury:
Any brain injury is unpredictable in its consequences. Brain injury affects who we are, the way we think, act, and feel. It can change everything about us in a matter of seconds. The most important things to remember:
- A person with a brain injury is a person first.
- No two brain injuries are exactly the same.
- The effects of a brain injury are complex and vary greatly from person to person.
- The effects of a brain injury depend on such factors as cause, location, and severity.
What is Concussion?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines concussion as a traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, stretching and damaging brain cells and creating chemical changes in the brain.
There may be signs of injury to the head, such as bruising or cuts, or there may be no visible injury. A person does not necessarily pass out after a concussion.
Medical professionals often refer to concussions as “mild” TBIs (mTBI) because they are not usually life-threatening; however, concussions are serious injuries.
ProgramsWhat is Post-Concussion Syndrome?
PCS is the set of symptoms from a concussion or a series of concussions that do not resolve within the anticipated time frame.
