QNotes, Vol. 9, Issue 6
Athletes at all levels have been sidelined for months due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While some professional teams have returned to competition, many high school and collegiate athletes are still waiting to get back in action. For some athletes, there is a silver lining to the halt in play. Players who are recovering from injuries, including, concussions have the opportunity for to allow their bodies to heal more thoroughly without fear of missing out on competing in their season.
In general, after a concussion, the majority of people recover from the initial symptoms within two weeks to one month. Longer term effects are unusual, though an estimated 20% of people will experience persistent symptoms of post-concussion syndrome, where their symptoms last for more than 6 weeks.*
The symptoms and the amount of time it takes for them to go away may differ between people and between concussions. Each concussion is different, even for the same person, and the path to concussion recovery will vary for every individual.
Common symptoms of concussion include:
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Problems with vision and balance
- Fatigue
- Difficulty thinking and concentrating
- Mood changes
- Increased sensitivity to sound and light
Not all concussion symptoms will be noticeable right after the injury, with some not appearing until days or weeks later. For athletes who have the extra time to recover after a potential concussion, such as those sidelined now due to Covid-19, it is beneficial to wait to return to full activity. As the long-term effects of concussion become more widely understood, Qmetrics’ DiscernAI provides objective analysis of MR scans to discern more information for patients & doctors to use in treatment discussions.
*Medical News Today, November 22, 2019