Everything You Need to Know About Concussions

April 2024

Holly St. Lifer

Making good decisions involves using your head. But it also means protecting it. That’s because a fall or an intense hit to the body can bruise your brain, causing temporary damage called a concussion. You might think it’s OK to shake it off, but multiple concussions can cause serious, permanent damage to your brain. Fortunately, most concussions heal on their own if you get enough rest and avoid reinjuring your brain. Here’s how to reduce your risk of getting a concussion and how to identify and treat one if you do.

Use Your Head!

The best way to reduce your risk of concussion is to wear a helmet when you play sports or do activities with a danger of hitting your head. Wearing a helmet while biking slashes your risk of a brain injury by 88 percent if you’re in an accident. You also need a helmet for athletic activities such as hockey, baseball, football, lacrosse, skateboarding, skiing, and riding a scooter.

Quiz

True or False? You shouldn’t sleep if you have a concussion.

False! Sleep is an important way to help your brain heal from a concussion. Your doctor may tell you to have someone check on you while you sleep for the first several hours immediately after you have gotten a concussion.

True or False? More girls get concussions than boys.

True! Recent studies of male and female high school athletes found that girls were at greater risk of getting a concussion than boys.

Take the quiz again

20% Number of teenagers in a recent survey who said they’d had at least one concussion.

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Do You Have a Concussion?

If you’ve had a fall or collision in which you hit your head, pay close attention to how you feel after the accident and for at least a week after. “If your symptoms persist, especially if you have more than one, see your doctor,” says Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly. Symptoms can include: