Concussion, Repeated Concussion and mild Traumatic Brain Injury: How Can Edinburgh Neuropsychology Help?

Over the past few years, there has been an increased focus in the area of concussion, particularly in relation to sport. You will likely have heard of ‘If in doubt, sit them out’ (2016) developed by Sport Scotland and intended to provide some information on how to recognise concussion in sport and how it should be managed. In recent years, you may also have seen some articles in the newspapers about it as well. However, as we will see, concussion can also occur as a result of any other bumps to the head, for instance falls.

So, let’s start with exploring concussion a little more in depth.

What is concussion?

A concussion is a mild head injury that is usually caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head. Concussion affects many aspects of a person’s life, including physical (our body) and psychological aspects (how we feel).

What are some of the common changes associated with concussion?

Concussion can affect us in many different ways. Although symptoms of concussion can present at any time, they typically appear in the first 24-48 hours after injury. Some of the more common symptoms of concussion can include:

Headache
Dizziness
Mental clouding, confusion or feeling slowed down
Visual changes
Nausea or vomiting
Fatigue or trouble sleeping
Trouble remembering or concentrating
Sensitivity to light or to noise

In addition, concussion can also lead to changes in a person’s mood or anxiety.

Mood-related changes are often not assessed following concussion. This is partly due to the lack of information available about the psychological consequences of injury and concussion. However, this does not mean that these changes should be ignored. On the contrary, it is vital that anyone with suspected concussion is able to access support not only for the physical recovery, but also for their psychological wellbeing.

How can Edinburgh Neuropsychology help?

At Edinburgh Neuropsychology we can help by providing a whole-person approach to concussion, focusing on the symptoms and the impact that concussion can have on a person’s day to day activities and their quality of life. Our approach will be guided by the symptoms you are experiencing and we are happy to also sign post you onto further sources of support and information available. If you are worried about your Brain Health, if you have suffered from repeated concussions or bumps to the head and are experiencing ongoing symptoms or if you want to have an assessment in order to get a baseline of your functioning, get in touch. Contact us and we can have a chat to discuss how we can help and what we can offer you.