* A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury caused by a blow or a jolt to the head.
* No objective medical test diagnoses concussion. “It has to be diagnosed by taking a good history and looking at the way the person’s functioning is affected,” says Brian Rieger, director of the Upstate Concussion Center.
* The new state safety laws regarding concussion apply to scholastic sports – not youth sports organized outside of school.
* Recognizing a concussion is crucial, so that the player can be removed from the game until he or she is medically cleared to return.
* Research shows that people who suffer repeated concussions take longer to heal and have more severe symptoms. The effects of repeated jolts to the head (concussion or not) are also thought to have long-term consequences.
* Headache is the most common symptom, but not all concussions are marked by headache. Symptoms vary from person to person.
* Concussion may or may not be accompanied by a loss of consciousness.
* Damage from a concussion is almost always short-term, when managed properly. However, some symptoms may linger for months.
* Until recently, the only data on concussion rates was from professional, collegiate and high school teams. Now researchers say the rates are comparable in youth sports.
* Upstate’s Concussion Center (315-464-8986) provides comprehensive evaluation and treatment services for people struggling with the lingering effects of concussion.
Listen to concussion interviews with Brian Rieger on HealthLink on Air
Read the stories of patients who have had concussions
