Concussions, how bad do they get?

Concussions damage the brain

Concussions, how bad do they get?

By: Aliya Mahmoud

People get concussions each and everyday. They are very common to get. But how does the injury really affect you afterwards?

Concussions are affecting people everywhere. It is a brain injury caused by hitting your head and causing your brain bang against your skull. It can cause your body to not function correctly during the incident. You can get a concussion through fights, car crashes, falls, bike accident or any sports activity. Some common symptoms include not thinking clearly, not remembering new information, headaches or dizziness.

I asked some students who having experienced a concussion how they felt during the incident. Jared R. explained “I couldn’t do anything. My body felt like I was heavier. I was couldn’t see anything, everything was blurry. A lot of the time I did throw up.” Madison G. described “I felt like a feather and then after that feeling passed it was like really painful. I was really dizzy and lightheaded. I had the worst headache ever!” Elizabeth H. explained “I felt a rush from one place to another and everyone was freaking out. It felt hard to do things and all I wanted to do was to lie down and rest.”

Now there are many ways you can get a concussion, but here are some students who have had personal experiences. Julia K. said “ My friend was playing basketball and she tripped and hit the wall. She was out for a couple minutes and they had to call the ambulance. She also broke her wrist.” Elizabeth H. said “ I was riding my bike and I was going down a hill and going way too fast. I couldn’t stop and I turned and hit a tree. That is all I can remember.”

You can get a concussion in any sport.

When you suffer from a concussion your brain may not operate as it usually does. This injury can cause athletes to have a slower reaction to things and have a hard time thinking straight. Many are in a lot of pain and want to just go rest and sleep. Many people experience drowsiness and very hectic headaches. These symptoms can last from a few hours to a few months! It all depends on how major the injury was.

Concussions can change your everyday lives. For some people it may taking a longer time for them to recover. Once you get a concussion you are not allowed to do certain activities because if you are not completely healed you don’t want to risk getting injured again. That can risk permanent damage to your brain and body.

I asked some classmates what kind of actions they were are were not allowed to do while they were recovering from their concussion. Elizabeth H. remarked “ I pretty much stayed in bed. I rested a lot. I wasn’t allowed to ride my bike or do any activities like sports.” Madison G. added “ I couldn’t do any physical activities. I stopped playing basketball and I tried to refrain from anything active. I kinda just took it easy until I didn’t feel my symptoms.” Jared R. said “I couldn’t do sports. I had to wait a little bit.”
  
Now concussion will affect you during the accident and after. So don’t rush your recovering and be careful of what activities you are participating in while you heal. You don’t want to risk it getting worse, because if it does it will be affecting how you do things even MORE!