Caused by a blow or a jolt to the head, concussions range drastically in both severity and in healing time and contribute to about 2.5 million emergency room visits and 138 injury deaths (30 percent) each year. Automobile accidents account for about one-third of those injuries, and are the second leading cause of concussion-related deaths. If you have recently been in an accident, know what symptoms to look for, what [...]
Concussions—most common among motorcycle riders, contact sports players, and those working in construction, and among those between 18 and 24 years of age—are mild brain injuries caused by bruising, swelling, or tearing of soft brain tissue. Concussions are not limited, though, to the groups of people identified above. An individual who has tripped and fallen may be at risk for suffering a concussion. Similarly, individuals can sustain concussions as a [...]
A recent incident that made international headlines demonstrates the severity of an unexpected head injury. On August 24, 2015, 37-year-old Justin Wilson—a longtime IndyCar driver—succumbed to a severe head injury, leaving behind his wife and two young children. He had been in a coma since a freak accident occurred the day before during a race on the Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania. Toward the end of the 200-lap race, the lead [...]
