What You Need to Know About Concussion
With the start of the NFL season and the beginning of school athletics right around the corner, many people are resuming the conversation about a mild form of traumatic brain injury (TBI) known as a concussion. Football continuously tops the charts for sports-related concussions, but other recreational activities are not immune to these types of injuries. The CDC reports that about 300,000 sports-related TBIs lead to a loss of consciousness each year. However, brain injuries that cause a loss of consciousness only account for 8 to 19.2 percent of all TBIs. Taking this into account, it is estimated that between 1.6 and 3.8 million sports-related TBIs occur each year in the US alone. Part of this discrepancy is chalked up to the fact that a large percentage of sports-related concussions go unreported. Altogether, these statistics paint a startling picture for athletes of all ages. This slideshow will discuss the signs of concussion and treatment options as well as the potential long-term issues related to multiple concussions.
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