Is anyone familiar with concussions?

[liamnoah]

Hello all,

My friend received a bad blow to the head that was unrelated to biking, and it's not good for either of us because it's stressful and limits our lives in some ways. Two weeks later, he is still experiencing dizziness, mood swings, and general fuzziness. Help.

liamnoah

[Pairofboots]

Hi Liam, there are people here that will be able to give you more specific information about concussion, but this isn't just a case of a bit of a bump. For some, it is a blip, but for some the effects can last some time and require support from a head injury rehab service. I'm sure that someone will be able to help you with this 🍀

[khathe in reply to Pairofboots]

Hi Liam,

I had a bump to my head a year ago, causing concussion, sounds simple easy not serious right! Nope I have BPPV, Benign Paroxysmal Postural Vertigo, Memory problems, probably lucky it’s not affected my mood, need to go to GP, I get rehab for the BPPV I’m seeing a psycho neurologist to see if there is any rehab for me. I have persistent post concussion syndrome which is just an umbrella term for ongoing neuro problems. Contact Headway they were fabulous, sent me out loads of information. Some people recover quicker than others, I’m 56 and that’s a wee bit against me. Do get help please

[Leaf100]

Hi Laim,

Definitely contact Headway and get information and see a doctor.

Both are necessary as many family docs are not really that concussion literate.

The systems can vary quite a lot and can even get worse if swelling is part of the picture - that requires testing.

Please do take it seriously.

You also need to know your friend may not be aware of everything going on as that is also part of it. All the symptoms you describe are very common.

Make sure your friend gets enough rest and is eating well. They may find eating cold things help - like frozen fruit. Someone should go with your friend to the doctor, because they may not be able to remember what to say or remember the treatment or referal instructions.

Headway can tell you all this and more.

Early intervention can help a lot.

People can sometimes get concussions stepping off a sidewalk a bit the wrong way - it doesn't have to have been from anything major. The brain is like congealed oatmeal and the skull has some sharp angles and sometimes it is just bad luck.

Symptoms can fade, and sometimes not. Concussions are cummulative, though, the more you have the more the brain is affected.

Another reason why getting hooked up with Headway and getting proper medical diagnosis and support is important.

Good luck, keep us posted.

(I got a concussion over a decade ago that still affects me in major ways. So please, don't wait to see what happens, get help.)

Leaf

[Painting-girl]

Hi Liamnoah, lots of good advice here. As the others have said, because concussion is actually a traumatic brain injury, the effects can sometimes be far reaching. Sometimes it just clears up on its own in a couple of weeks, or months, but sometimes it doesn't. It's difficult to handle, because most of us will never have had health problems that persist for more than a couple of weeks before. Did your friend go to A&E initially, and did they have a CT scan to rule out more serious injury?

As the others say - off to the GP on Monday - they might suggests A&E anyway. And ring the Headway helpline on Monday as well for more information and reassurance (they are open office hours on 0208 800 2244).

In the meantime if your friend has any bad headaches you should go to A&E

How did it happen originally by the way?

Let us know how you get on 🌸

[liamnoah]

Thanks for sharing your experiences; I'm amazed and shocked that this isn't an unusual case anymore!

He had a scan, and the doctor said his symptoms were not severe enough. She told me to wait a few more weeks, that time and space would heal most things. To help with my friend's concussion, she told me to hold his hand and hum a favourite tune; I was pretty startled by this suggestion, to be honest! Also, to make him feel better, she urged me to write a few slogans on paper and tape them all over his room. She said this is a typical treatment for concussions, and it's really helping my friend recover.