Brain concussion: effective treatment in Ternopil

Value

A concussion is a condition that occurs as a result of a minor head injury, the main symptom of which is loss of consciousness or disturbance of consciousness at the time of the injury. Usually this is a brief loss of consciousness from a few seconds to a minute. Sometimes temporary stunning or disorientation is also possible.

Symptoms of concussion

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• memory impairment

Types of amnesia

• Anterograde amnesia is a memory impairment for events that preceded the period of loss (impairment) of consciousness.
• Congradular amnesia is a memory impairment for events during the period of loss (impairment) of consciousness.
• Retrograde amnesia is a memory impairment for events that occurred immediately before the injury.

Signs of a concussion

• changes in pulse rate towards an increase (tachycardia) or decrease (bradycardia),
• sweating of the skin,
• some drowsiness or, conversely, insomnia,
• noise in the head, ears,
• “flushes” of blood to the head, body temperature is usually within normal limits.

This symptomatology usually regresses within 7-14 days. Sometimes patients may persist with post-traumatic astheno-vegetative syndrome.

Concussion in children

The main difference between concussion in infants and toddlers is that it can occur without loss of consciousness.

Events

Changes can occur on the part of the autonomic nervous system in the form of:

• pale facial skin,
• acceleration of pulse rate,
• lethargy and drowsiness.

Symptoms in infants

In infants, the following are quite common:

• burping after feeding,
• refusal of the breast,
• vomit,
• concern,
• sleep disturbances.

All symptoms usually gradually regress after 2-4 days.

Symptoms of concussion in the elderly

In elderly and senile individuals, loss of consciousness at the time of injury may be absent. Disorientation in time and space is often observed.

The headache may be throbbing, and may be particularly intense in people with high blood pressure. Dizziness is a common symptom.

Diagnostics

History of the disease, which includes:

• patient complaints,
• detailed circumstances of the injury,
• accurately determine the fact of impaired consciousness,
• Carefully inspect the soft tissues of the head.

Clinical examination results:

• Nystagmus – small movements of the eyeballs when they are moved to the sides, can occur in the first minutes and hours after the injury.
• Coordination disorders – instability of balance in the Robmerg pose.
• Data from laboratory examination methods, analysis of cerebrospinal fluid by performing a spinal puncture.
• Instrumental methods and CT of the head diagnose the absence of fractures of the bones of the vault and base of the skull, as well as the absence of focal and diffuse pathology of the brain.

It is always necessary to take into account the fact that a concussion may be hiding a more severe traumatic brain injury, which initially does not cause significant functional impairment, but after a certain period of time, life-threatening symptoms may appear.

Therefore, patients with this pathology are hospitalized in the neurosurgical department for dynamic monitoring, which consists of:

• under 24-hour observation,
• monitoring blood pressure, pulse, saturation,
• as well as for further examination and treatment.

Conservative treatment of concussion

The goal of concussion treatment

Patients with concussion are recommended bed rest with gradual activation after 2-3 days. We discharge them from the neurosurgical hospital on the 5-7th day. Then patients undergo outpatient treatment with a neurologist at their place of residence.

Drug therapy

Drug therapy is symptomatic.

• Normalization of functional disorders,
• reduction of headaches and dizziness,
• sleep disturbances.

Assigned

• painkillers,
• sedatives
• and sleeping pills.

Vascular and metabolic therapy helps to quickly restore impaired cerebral functions and relieve astheno-vegetative syndrome.

Complication

Sometimes a concussion has serious complications in the form of:

• post-traumatic epilepsy,
• persistent headache,
• vegetative-vascular crises,
• persistent astheno-vegetative syndrome.

Therefore, concussion treatment should always be sufficient and adequate.