Trauma to the head, whether through a sports injury, car accident or some other incident, leads to several medical conditions, including concussions. A concussion causes injury to the brain and, in most cases, temporarily prevents it from functioning properly. While many think a concussion only occurs if the person is rendered unconscious, the Mayo Clinic reports that head trauma and concussion may not cause a blackout. The injured person may have suffered a concussion after a blow to the head and not realize it.
Confusion
Impaired memory such as forgetting times and dates may occur while the person suffers from a concussion. He may appear to hesitate in his speech patterns or thought processes, and he may not remember why he wanted to do something. Not remembering how to perform a task, and becoming frustrated after a head injury constitute telltale signs that a concussion may exist.
Judgment
Making decisions about daily activities that are not rational or typical of the person can be another symptom of impairment of thought processes. Decision-making that is contradictory to what the person usually would do may be an indicator of this injury. Difficulty solving everyday problems can mean a concussion occurred.
Headache
A dull ache that occurs over a period of hours is another symptom of concussion if it is related to a blow on the head. The headache generally feels dull and may be triggered by light and sound. There may be complaints of visual problems with the headache. Stimuli to the central nervous system may be intensified by the concussion, causing nerve endings in the brain to become oversensitive. Blood vessels surrounding the brain may be irritated and dilated, causing the headache.
Dizziness
A head injury that results in a concussion may cause a person to feel out of balance and unsteady because his brain is not receiving the correct location signals. When the nerve impulses that tell the brain the angle and location of the head fail to register correctly, dizziness results. A person may complain of his head spinning or whirling. Dizziness occurs for a variety of reasons including taking medications and a sudden drop in blood pressure, but when it occurs following a head injury, it may be a sign of concussion. It may be accompanied by another symptom that is a lack of bodily coordination. These two problems together can result in falls and clumsiness.
Speech
A person’s vocabulary may be different than usual. She may use fewer words, use words incorrectly, or she may simply stop talking. Her speech may be jumbled as her brain attempts to connect the thoughts vocally.
