Minor accidents happen. Sometimes you ride a bike on a particularly rainy day. Other times, you fall when you are running on an uneven path. When these things happen, you'll probably scrape the grit off your legs and go back to your workout, if there are no visible injuries.
But if you do hit your head, even if you were wearing a helmet, it's important to get checked out right away. If you have a concussion, waiting a few days, or even weeks, before being checked by your doctor can significantly lengthen your recovery time, according to one new researchn published in JAMA Neurology.
Can recovery take less time if we go to the doctor earlier?
Researchers looked at 162 adolescent and youth athletes, ages 12 to 22, who visited a sports medicine concussion clinic between 2016 and 2018 after a sports-related head injury.
Those who were evaluated within a week after the injury recovered 20 days faster, on average, than those observed two to three weeks after the injury.
previous investigations have found that adolescents take about a month longer to recover of a concussion than adults, making it especially important to shorten recovery times for adolescent athletes. But no matter what your age, this study highlights the importance of getting checked out after any type of potential concussion.
«A comprehensive evaluation and clinical examination allows for more specific treatments for specific symptoms and disabilities as soon as possible.e," said the study's lead author.
What happens when we suffer a blow to the head?
In a concussion, the brain moves inside the skull, pushing aside the protective membranes and surrounding fluid, causing a brain bruise. This can happen due to impact, but also a sudden change, such as with whiplash or any rapid change in acceleration. Since this affects the nervous system, the immediate symptoms tend to be nausea and dizziness, but bruising affects behavioral parts of the brain as well.
That's why waiting for treatment can exacerbate damage to the brain, as treatment often focuses on cognitive stimulation and light exercise as a way to reduce inflammation from the injury and help your neural pathways and brain tissue heal.
Early care with a trained physician also allows you to begin behavior management strategies involving sleep, nutrition, hydration, and stress management, which can improve recovery.
Most people realize that headache, nausea, difficulty concentrating, and dizziness are symptoms of a concussion, but other symptoms such as irritability, trouble sleeping, depression, anxiety, and mood changes may also occur. behaviour.
Experts recommend that patients do not wait a week or more to seek care, waiting if things improve on their own. The sooner you get checked out, the sooner you may be prescribed targeted therapies that help with a faster recovery process.