Concussions are the mildest form of traumatic brain injury (TBI). They occur when the head takes a blow or is jolted, causing injury to the brain. While they’re not considered life-threatening, you shouldn’t ignore a hit to the head.
Urgent care is an excellent way to get medical care for non-life-threatening sports concussions. Our guide explains why you need to get medical care for a concussion and what to expect if you play sports or enjoy recreational activities and suffer a head injury.
Concussions Explained
Your brain weighs approximately three pounds. It’s made up of about 60% fat tissue, and the rest is carbohydrates, protein, salt, and water. It’s divided into the brainstem (connection to the spine), cerebellum ( back of the head), and cerebrum (front of the head).
The brain is made up of gray and white matter. Gray matter is darker and in the outer portion of the brain, while white matter is internal and lighter in color. All of this is wrapped in a triple-layered covering known as the meninges.
All of this delicate tissue and outer layers float in cerebrospinal fluid within your skull. If there’s a sudden blow or back-and-forth movement, your brain moves through the fluid and bounces into the hard bone of the skull. That can cause bruising and bleeding within the brain’s cells. That damage creates the following changes.
- Injured brain neurons release glutamate, which starves brain cells of fuel (glucose).
- Damaged cells no longer control the amount of calcium ions going to the different neurons. Excessive calcium kills the cells.
- The damage triggers an inflammatory response with the immune cells, but they work too much and increase damage.
With these issues all wreaking havoc within the brain, the symptoms of a concussion are triggered. It impacts brain function, but the injuries are not noticeable on a CT scan or MRI. They can catch moderate or severe TBI symptoms like bleeding or skull fractures, but they cannot capture the invisible signs of a concussion.
Concussions are not something to ignore. They’re also far more common than you might think with teens who play certain sports.
- 63% of concussions in high school football occur during tackling.
- 66% of concussions in high school sports occur after a collision between players.
- 70% of emergency department visits for recreational and sports-related concussions and TBIs are in people 17 or younger.
- Concussions among high school cheerleaders usually occur during practice and without a spotter.
- Football, soccer, and lacrosse have the highest concussion rates.
- Girls are more likely to experience severe or lengthy symptoms after a concussion during a game or practice.
Know the Symptoms of a Concussion
While every concussion is unique, there are common signs that you should watch for. Sometimes, the symptoms don’t appear for several hours. That’s why it’s important to have someone with you for 24 hours after a head injury.
There are different categories of symptoms to watch for.
Cognitive:
- Confusion
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty remembering new things
- Feeling dazed
- Slowed processing times
Emotional:
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Sadness
Physical:
- Balance issues
- Blurred or double vision
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Nausea
- Pressure in the head
- Sensitivity to light or sound
Sleep-Related:
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Drowsiness
- Insomnia
- Sleeping too much
When to Go to Urgent Care vs. an Emergency Department
If any of the above symptoms appear, go to urgent care immediately. Don’t risk it. An urgent care doctor can examine you and run tests to determine if it’s a concussion or something more serious.
You must get examined, as there’s a rare condition known as “Second Impact Syndrome.” It occurs when you get a second concussion before the brain has healed from another concussion. It triggers rapid swelling within the brain.
If you experience severe symptoms, go straight to the ER. Severe symptoms include:
- Loss of consciousness
- Persistent vomiting
- Seizures
- Severe headache
- Symptoms that worsen or do not diminish after a few hours
Urgent care clinics have medical professionals who can evaluate your head injury and build a treatment plan that ensures you heal. You must do your part, however, and follow a doctor’s orders. Here’s what to expect at urgent care.
- Initial Assessment: The doctor will examine your eyes, any bumps on your head, and discuss what you were doing when you were injured. Your balance, cognitive function, coordination, and pupil reactions are checked, too.
- Discuss Your Results: If your doctor believes your TBI is more than a concussion, you could be sent to the ER after the urgent care doctors stabilize you for transport.
- Treatment and Patient Instructions: If it is a concussion, you’ll discuss what you need to do at home. That means limiting your activities for as long as the doctor recommends, avoiding games and practices, and managing symptoms with over-the-counter medications. You need to limit activities that increase your blood pressure or increase blood flow to the brain, such as playing video games or watching TV.
- Follow-Up Care: You need to take the doctor’s advice and attend all recommended follow-up care appointments. Until you have clearance, you cannot get back on the field or court. When you are allowed to play, you need to take it slow and do everything possible to protect your head.
The Benefits of Choosing Urgent Care
There are several main benefits you gain if you go to urgent care for a non-life-threatening concussion after a practice, game, or activity.
- Doctors at urgent care clinics bring a variety of expertise to your case. You might find the clinic has an orthopedist, sports medicine doctor, and concussion expert on staff, which eliminates the need to go to multiple offices.
- Doctors at urgent care clinics send all tests and exam results to your primary care practitioner, so you don’t have to repeat information to ensure your doctor knows you were treated elsewhere.
- Urgent care clinics are convenient due to longer hours and weekend availability.
- Urgent care clinics cost less than a hospital visit. You pay less if you don’t have insurance. If you do have insurance, your insurance claims are lower and more likely to get approved rather than questioned if the cost was necessary.
- Urgent care clinics have the equipment needed to run many of the tests a hospital can run.
- You have medical reports if they’re required to go on light duty with your employer or to get out of gym classes, games, or practices with your coaches and teachers.
If you’ve suffered a blow to your head during a game, practice, or friendly scrimmage with friends, Premium Urgent Care is here to ensure you’re okay. We have multiple locations available with weekend and evening hours. All four locations offer online check-in and allow you to fill out paperwork before you arrive.