Make Up Your Mind and Participate in Annual National Concussion Awareness Day

Today, September 16th, is the 7th annual National Concussion Awareness Day. A concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) that is caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bound or twist in the skull, sometimes creating chemical changes in the brain or damages to brain cells. While concussions are usually not life-threatening, the effects can be serious and cause a plethora of social and emotional issues. These types of injuries can happen almost anywhere by accident, like if you tripped and fell and hit your head. However, due to the physical nature of the injury they are often acquired through sports or other physical environments like a construction or industrial workplace. 

National Concussion Awareness Day is a catalyst for starting important conversations that increase concussion awareness nationally, raise funds for brain injury organizations, and support those suffering from mild TBIs through social media, community events, and press coverage. By spreading awareness, the goal is to minimize concussion related events that have led to these injuries becoming a national epidemic. Just in the United States, millions of mild traumatic brain injuries and concussions happen each year. The scary part is that the symptoms may not even be recognizable until weeks later. 

There are multiple kinds of concussion signs and symptoms that can be categorized as: physical, cognitive, emotional or sleep related. The physical signs often include headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, sensitivity to light and noise, or post traumatic amnesia where someone with a mild TBI can’t recall their injury. The cognitive signs usually include difficulty learning new information, an inability to keep up with conversations, feeling like you’re in a “fog” where you can’t think clearly, having problems finding words, or having a slow reaction time. Emotional symptoms can be easy irritation, becoming more impulsive or more emotional than usual, being sad, anxious, or any change in personality. Lastly, the sleep-related signs can include having a disturbed sleep cycle, trouble falling asleep, sleeping more, not sleeping soundly, or not feeling rested after sleep.

As denoted by the symptom categories, the symptoms of a concussion can adversely affect every aspect of someone’s life. That is why it’s so crucial to take the precaution and protect your head and look out for these signs after a potential injury. Additionally, doctors recommend doing a baseline test where you take a cognitive exam to test your abilities that can be re-taken after a concussion-threatening situation for comparison. It is important to know when a concussion has occurred so that the right medical attention and accommodations can be made for that person’s future health safety.

To learn more about the concussion prevention or to participate in National Concussion Awareness Day, visit: http://nationalconcussionawarenessday.com/index.html.   

DII is your partner in mental and physical safety in and out of the workplace. Our team of experts can work with you to understand how to implement workplace strategies to keep your employees safe from brain injury. Please contact your DII representative for more information.  #Concussions #Safety

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