Jason Stephens | November 15, 2022 | Brain Injuries
Concussions are common after a head blow, but can one occur without a strike to the head? The answer is yes, but without a head blow, a specific type of force must occur to cause a concussion.
Understanding Concussions
A concussion occurs when the brain impacts the inside of the skull, causing trauma. As such, a concussion is considered to be a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although concussions typically do not lead to fatalities, they are serious conditions that usually cause mild to severe symptoms that should be addressed.
How Concussions Occur Without a Blow to the Head
Violent whipping actions of the neck can cause the brain to strike the inside of the skull and lead to a concussion. In car crashes, this whipping action, known as whiplash, occurs quite frequently, often as the result of rear-end crashes and t-bone wrecks.
In sports, violent shaking and whipping can occur in various ways. For example, a football player might experience a tackle that does not damage their head but causes their neck to snap back and forth.
Other sports that can cause a whiplash injury and a resulting concussion include:
- Wrestling
- Basketball
- Soccer
- Rugby
- Soccer
Sadly, young children sometimes suffer concussions at the hands of adults. Abusive parents or other adult authority figures commonly shake children. Depending on the child’s age, significant brain damage can occur from this violent shaking.
Warning Signs for Concussions
Concussions do not always produce symptoms. And when they do, they are sometimes subtle or difficult to detect. Concussion symptoms may also appear hours or even days after the trauma. Hence, it is not uncommon to see injury victims fail to consider the possibility of having suffered one when they haven’t hit their head.
With that being said, many concussion sufferers experience one or more of the many pronounced symptoms of having a concussion.
Common signs of concussion include:
- Headache
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Dizziness
- Disturbed vision
- Fogginess
- Tinnitus (ringing of the ears)
- Slurred speech
All of these symptoms deal with brain function or pain in the head region; experiencing them after whiplash or other similar violent snapping or shaking of the neck could signify the presence of a concussion.
Diagnosing a Concussion
To truly know whether you or someone you love has a concussion, you must go to a doctor as soon as possible after the accident. Waiting can exacerbate a condition of which concussion is but one consequence.
During your visit, a doctor will ask for a narrative of the events leading up to your injury. Knowing what led up to and caused the suspected concussion can aid immensely in its diagnosis.
Your doctor will then perform a few tests and examinations to gauge the presence and seriousness of symptoms. Keep in mind that imaging tests, such as MRIs, cannot always detect the presence of a concussion. So they are typically only used when a victim is suffering from unusually severe symptoms or symptoms that have increased in their severity.
Cognitive and neurological testing are the principal means of diagnosis in concussion cases. Common neurological functions that are measured include:
- Vision and hearing
- Strength and sensation to touch
- Reflex time and response
- Coordination and balance
No matter how a concussion occurs, it is important to consider seeking medical treatment if you suspect that you or someone you love has one. TBIs can get worse over time without treatment.
Additionally, speaking with a personal injury lawyer may be appropriate if someone else caused the concussion; you may be entitled to a compensation payout to help cover your losses.
Contact Our Brain Injury Law Firm in Fort Worth, TX
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Fort Worth and need legal help, contact our Fort Worth brain injury lawyers at Stephens Law Personal Injury | Wrongful Death | Truck Accidents to schedule a free consultation.
Stephens Law Personal Injury | Wrongful Death | Truck Accidents
1300 S University Dr # 300
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(817) 420-7000