The primary treatment for a concussion is complete physical and mental rest initially, with gradual increases in activity. The most current research shows extended periods of rest can be detrimental to recovery. This is why it is important to have your care managed by an experienced sports concussion physician who can monitor symptoms, activity, and treatment during the course of recovery.
Initial Treatment
- If a concussion is suspected the athlete/child should be removed from any activity immediately.
- Athlete should be kept out of play until he/she is evaluated and cleared by an athletic trainer or licenced medical provider.
Treatment
After a history and physical exam are completed the athletic trainer or your medical provider will decide what next steps to take.
Treatment options include
- Mental and Physical Rest
- Refraining from texting, video games, watching TV or long periods of reading
- Vitamins may be prescribed such as B2, Magnesium and fish oil
- Vestibular Therapy
- Ocular Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Psychiatric/Psychological Therapy
- Tylenol may be taken but consult your physician on medications to relieve headaches
In order for a physician to clear an individual they will look at the following
- Individual is symptom free or 24-48 hours
- No medication is being taken for symptom control
- Has normal cognitive levels which are determined by looking at their neurocognitive testing (ImPACT Test)
Why is Treatment important?
- A history of concussion has been linked to depression in teens
- The odds of sustaining a second concussion go up
- If athletes return to the game before they are healed, they could be increasing the chances of Second-Impact Syndrome, which can be fatal
- Symptoms may linger causing issues in school, work, home and life
- Athletes who continue to play with a concussion can take nearly twice as long to recover and experience prolonged effects on memory and reaction time
Returning to the Classroom
In general, students are returned to school on a limited schedule. This may include limiting coursework, an abbreviated schedule, or arranging their return-to-classroom plan around classes where neurocognitive improvement is shown. Classroom work is reintroduced gradually. Sometimes it is necessary to drop a student to a less rigorous level while they ease back into coursework. Accommodations are recommended based on the individual patient’s symptoms, for example, seating away from bright lights and noise or supplementing presentations with printouts to reduce eye strain. Students are typically held from participation in recess and physical education classes.
Returning to Activity/Sports:
Once an athlete has been cleared by a physician to return to sports they will go through a gradual return-to-play protocol. This return-to-play protocol has been adopted and mandated by many sport medicine bodies.
- Step 1: complete rest for 24 hours.
- Step 2: light aerobic exercise such as cycling or walking to increase heart rate to 70 % of maximum predicted heart rate
- Step 3: sport specific training which adds movement to the treatment paradigm
- Step 4: non-contact training drills that add exercise, coordination and cognitive load to the treatment paradigm
- Step 5: When the patient is symptom free, he or she may begin full contact training to restore confidence and assess functional skills. If the patient becomes symptomatic at any time, he or she is dropped to the step previous and progression is again attempted after 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Is this really a Concussion?
- Are the symptoms that I am having normal?
- Is rest still the best treatment?
- Are there treatments now for Concussions?
- How long will it take me to recover?
- Can I go to School and/or work?
- When can I return to sports?
