What are concussion tests?

Healthcare providers, trainers, and coaches utilize concussion tests to evaluate brain function before and after a head injury.

Why are concussion tests important?

A mild or moderate TBI may cause damage to the brain that is undetectable with brain imaging tests. However, the damage can lead to some very extreme symptoms such as headaches, emotional changes, difficulty concentrating, and memory problems.

In addition, the impact of a concussion can be quite imprecise and quite often difficult to describe. Concussion testing identifies and measures such changes.

It is likely to prolong and worsen the effects if time cannot be found to recover or suffer another brain injury while recovering from a concussion. This is one of the major reasons why concussion testing is very important; in case you or your child suffers a concussion, receive a diagnosis and adhere to medical recommendations in a way that prevents further damaging the brain.

A diagnosis by a professional can help set expectations. While co-workers, teachers, family, and even the person who had a concussion may not understand why someone is not feeling the way they normally should or cannot do what they normally do, such a diagnosis can be very helpful.

Often concussion testing can measure how one's effects from a concussion are improving over time. The more you improve, the better you will be in attending rehabilitation and following the instructions of your doctor in terms of gradually getting back to work, school, and other activities.

How is a concussion diagnosed?

For those who have ever suffered a concussion, one is usually left wondering how one knows they have experienced that. While there are some identifiable signs and symptoms which one might suspect the presence of a concussion, only a doctor or medical professional is qualified to make such an official diagnosis.

A few different exams or tests could help diagnose a concussion:

• Neurologic exams An exam of the nervous system will help your doctor make a concussion diagnosis. This will include physical exam areas to determine that all is well with your brain. Your doctor will test the strength and reflexes, and how you walk and stand, your sense of balance, hearing and nerve function. He/she will check your senses and mental status.
• Cognitive testing This would be a type of assessment; it would help in assessing your skills regarding cognition, another way of saying that this is just a means of referring to your ability to think. Cognitive testing may test your memory, recalling capacity, and attention.
• Imaging A concussion itself will not show up on brain imaging tests, but if you develop certain symptoms, for example, severe headaches, vomiting or seizures, your doctor will order an MRI or CT of your head to check if you have visible injury, such as bleeding in your brain. A CT scan is often the most frequently used test in the evaluation of the brain immediately following an injury.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Doctors might be able to use MRI to determine complications arising from a head injury. It may even help point out changes in the brain, which could result from this trauma.
• Eye Exams Depending on the results of your medical history and the doctor's suspicion, you might be required to undergo some eye exams as well to check for signs of concussion or neurological damage.

Most concussed patients recover within 3 weeks. If the symptoms linger past this period of recovery, the patient is referred to a neurologist and/or post-concussive syndrome specialist.

What are baseline concussion tests and sideline concussion tests?

These types of concussion tests are mostly done on student athletes. More often than not, student athletes who participate in contact sports will undergo a baseline concussion test before the start of his or her season. This survey gauges normal brain function in areas such as memory and speed of thought and attention. Computerized testing often feels like playing a video game. If an athlete sustains a head injury at any time in the season, he or she is removed from play and then retested. Results of this test are compared to preseason results.

A sideline concussion evaluation is another straightforward tool. This test evaluates brain function in suspected concussion athletes. Typically questions used are:

• The name of the opponent and score of the game (short-term memory).
• Your name, and date of birth (long-term memory).
• The months of the year backwards (a complex task).

Remember no player who has sustained a head blow or suspected concussion will be allowed to return to game play. These tests yield some information. If a school doesn't have a physician or sports medicine specialist, players should be referred to their healthcare provider for further follow-up. Your doctor will do a thorough physical exam and may send you to a sports medicine specialist or neurologist for some tests and imaging tests if necessary.

What do the results of concussion tests mean?

There are scores assigned to each different concussion test. You will be given one or several concussion tests. If the results of the concussion test(s) and any other evaluation demonstrate that you have had a concussion, your provider will talk with you about a recovery plan.

As part of your recovery plan, expect:

• Resting more than usual, but not too much. Sleeping too much can delay your recovery process.
• Learn what sets off the symptoms of concussion and, when you experience them, step back and take a rest.
• Gradually add back more activities into your day as your symptoms are improving.
• Work on developing a plan to return to school and share it with teachers, school nurses, counsellors or psychologists if you are a student.

Assisting athletic trainers and all others connected to the organisation's (typically a school) concussion policy. That is an organisation's policies and procedures for dealing with someone (typically a student-athlete) who has suffered a head injury

When should you call your doctor or get emergency care?

If you have had a head injury, seek emergency medical help if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Loss of consciousness
• Convulsions or seizures
• Weakness on one side of your body
• Vision changes
• Difficulty speaking or communicating
• Difficulty with walking or balance

Call your doctor if you have:

• Trouble sleepiness or excessive sleeping
• Changes in moods
• Headaches or sore neck
• Dizziness
• Difficulty concentrating or remembering

To seek an expert consultation

Call us at +91-9076972161
Email at care@tenderpalm.com