In the National Football League, the most critical and talked about issue right now is concussions. Too often in the NFL, concussions are not being reported or players are going back on the field without sufficient amount of time to recover. But concussions aren’t only a problem in professional football; they are a problem in all sports. This is why I have listed below important information for every athlete to know about concussions.
What is a Concussion?
A concussion is a brain injury that occurs when there is an impact to the head. Concussions are temporary and usually take about 3-4 weeks to fully heal, but there are some incidents of prolonged effects after suffering a concussion. There are various symptoms associated with concussions. Some of the most common symptoms are:
-Nausea -Memory loss -Dizziness
-Headaches -Confusion -Loss of Consciousness
The Risks of Playing With a Concussion
Playing any given sport with a concussion poses very serious risk to your safety and health. It can prolong the amount of time you have the concussion and cause more frequent and intense symptoms. Also, playing with a concussion can cause long-term and even permanent brain damage. This is why it is so critical to allow yourself enough time to full recover from a concussion.
Take the Necessary Precautions
The only known cure to a concussion is rest. It is up to you to determine whether or not you are better and ready to play again. It’s very important to check up with a doctor and have him or her clear you to play again. It’s also crucial that coaches don’t push an athlete to perform when they are not better yet. This is one case where it is especially essential to listen to your body and not push yourself to the extreme.
The most important thing to remember when it comes to concussions is that you can never be too cautious. Athletes, parents, coaches and teammates must all do their part to make sure that proper care and recovery is taken and no one is being pushed to perform when they shouldn’t.
For the latest news about concussions and more information, visit http://www.sportsconcussions.org/
