Signs and symptoms:

Question 1

Mild head injury or mild concussion:

Answer 1

None or less than 20 min loss of consciousness
-often receive no medical care
-only brief hospital for observation & routine test: EEG: electroencephalography: records electrical activity of the brain; CAT
-Neurological exams usually normal
-May have: nausea, headaches, dizziness
-Symptoms may be due to organic: symptoms that appear due to visible cause or physiological causes
-Recent evidence shows:
~significant number of pt are unable to maintain pre-injury level of function or performance level
~evidence of microscopic nerve damage
-Frontal &temporal contusions may see impairments in memory, learning & emotional control without loss of consciousness.

Question 2

Post -concussion syndrome symptoms:

Answer 2

• dizziness
• impaired concentration
• fatigabiility
• Depression
• irritability/distractible
• headache
• Insomnia
• defective memory: retrograde amnesia: memory from before the injury is lost may or may not be present
• restlessness
• reading problems
• Changes in personality and emotional being

Question 3

Often injured do not _____ what is happening to them which leads to _______, ________, _______ of incompetence

Answer 3

understand
frustration
guilt
feeling

Question 4

Problems are _____ and _____ to recognize

Answer 4

subtle

difficult

Question 5

Person _______ appears ______.

Answer 5

overall

normal

Question 6

Moderate injuries or classical cerebral concussion:

Answer 6

• Characterized by period of unconsciousness ranging from 1-24 hrs
• usually hospitalized
• may be 6-12 months before able to return to work (up to 2/3 unable to return to work in less than 1 year)

Question 7

Severe head injury or severe concussion:

Answer 7

• associated with loss of consciousness: longer than 24 hrs.
• Diffuse brain injury often with damage to the brain stem and possible emergence of persistent vegetative state > 1 year

Question 8

Coma:

Answer 8

• Complete paralysis of cerebral function, a state of unresponsiveness
• eyes closed
• usually no response even to painful stimuli
• within 2-4 weeks most begin to awaken
• Progress to stupor (state of near- unconsciousness) or condition of generalized responsiveness.