Health & Wellness - December 2016

42 & December 2016 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net | Like us @healthykentucky
INJURY CARE
–COLUMN PROVIDED BY–
1019 Majestic Dr. Ste. 160, Lexington, KY 40513
859.523.6797 | www.bluegrasspersonalinjury.com
Cerebral Concussion
FROM AUTO COLLISION
by Howard D. Markowitz, MD,
Bluegrass Injury Care Center
Over 1.5 million
people suffer
for a traumatic brain injury due to a
motor vehicle collision each year. These
injuries are not only from direct trauma,
such as your head sticking to steering
wheel, head rest, or window. They can
also occur from sudden flexion/extension
of one’s neck or a sudden twisting
motion.
The common phenomenon with
these concussion injuries is that the
brain suffers damage despite the normal
protective mechanisms that the
human body puts in place. Normally,
the very hard skull protects the brain
from penetrating injury. The brain
floats in a spinal fluid solution to buffer
and protect it from sudden movement.
However, if the movement is too severe,
even the normal body defenses do not
adequately offer protection.
With direct blows to the head or
sudden motions the brain can impact
the inside of the skull. Or, a sheering
motion can occur within the brain.
This elastic activity, similar to twisting
of a sponge, can internally damage the
brain. The brain may externally appear
to be unharmed but microscopic and
cellular studies have shown that the
delicate fibers of neuronal tissue can be
stretched, torn, or severed.
Depending on which part of the
brain is damaged and the severity of
damage, then different symptoms will
occur. You do not have to be lose consciousness
(knocked out) to have the
automobile collision cause a concussion.
All parts of the brain can be affected
by concussion. Some of the affected
areas are vision, hearing, hand dexterity,
emotions, memory, ability to perform
certain physical activities, and ability to
perform some mental activities.
It is common for people to feel
“funny” for days or weeks after an
auto collision. These people may have
difficulty with short term memory,
making simple math calculations, normal
sleep patterns, or even expressing
normal emotions in common situations.
All of these abnormalities can
be symptoms of a concussion.
People who suspect they had a concussion
after a motor vehicle injury
should seek medical evaluation. If you
are diagnosed with a concussion, you
should rest the part of your brain that
is damaged until this abnormal function
returns to normal. This resting
may be not reading books, not doing
math problems, not engaging in activities
that can jostle the head and slow
down healing. In fact, a repeat injury
during this healing period may limit
the eventual amount of healing of the
affected area and could end in a permanent
dysfunction.
A good clinical exam and follow-up
exams can determine the impairment
baseline and mark the pace and extent
of improvement. Computer programs
objectively test and document cognitive,
reflex, and memory functions
so they can be effectively followed as
healing takes place.
In conclusion, if you suspect you
suffered a concussion from an automobile
collision, you should seek medical
evaluation and treatment.