Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 53

53

LEFT PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

T

he word concussion
balance problems, blurred vision,
seems to be popping
sensitivity to light, sensitivity to
up more and more in
noise, sluggishness, ringing in
the news, and rightfully
the ears, behavior or personality
so. There were about
changes, concentration difficulDavid
2.5 million trips to the emergency
ties, memory loss and just not
Schwartz, PhD,
department in 2014 because of
feeling right.
neuropsychologist,
brain injuries, according to a study
Northside
Hospital Duluth's
DO MEN OR
by the Centers for Disease Control
Concussion
WOMEN
SUFFER
and Prevention-and that number
Institute
MORE CONCUSSIONS?
is not slowing down.
In the past few years, many studies
Concussions happen frequently.
have indicated that women sustain
You might never have thought
more concussions than men.
about it, but if you've ever bumped heads with
One study found that a woman's concussion
your children and felt "foggy" with a headache,
symptoms may be more severe because of
you could have experienced a concussion.
varying hormone levels during her menstruOr if you've ever been rear-ended by a car on
ation cycle. Other studies show that women
Interstate 85, you probably experienced whipmay be more susceptible to concussions comlash and may have suffered a concussion.
pared with men because of weaker neck and
As we learn more about concussions, we
can better prepare ourselves to reduce our risk shoulder muscles-during an impact to the
head, these muscles don't provide as much
and to properly treat them. To start, we must
know what a concussion is, what symptoms to support and protection.
Also, women may report their symptoms
look for and who may be most susceptible.
to physicians more often than men. As with a
WHAT IS A CONCUSSION?
range of illnesses and injuries, men sometimes
A concussion is a brain injury that can be
downplay their symptoms and do not seek
caused by a hit or jolt to the head. You can even treatment, which leads to an underreporting
get a concussion from a hit to the body that
of their ailments.
causes the brain and head to move rapidly back
WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT
and forth, as with whiplash from a car accident.
A CONCUSSION?
"Since the majority of concussions do not
Although concussions are common, their
show up on CT scans or MRIs, it can be diffinegative, long-term consequences can be
cult to recognize what is actually happening,"
avoided with appropriate education, awaresays David Schwartz, PhD, a board-certified
ness, evaluation and treatment.
neuropsychologist at Northside Hospital
The Concussion Institute at Northside
Duluth's Concussion Institute. "Many sympHospital Duluth is committed to improving
toms may not appear immediately; sometimes
concussion treatment for everyone, offering
it can take a few days."
baseline tests and the most advanced methods.
Many concussion symptoms don't last too
Learn more about this groundbreaking center
long, but it's still important to seek medical
at northside.com/gwinnettconcussion. *
attention to make sure you get the appropriate
treatment so your brain can have time to heal.

How to
Reduce
Your Risk

Though it's impossible to prevent a
concussion, David
Schwartz, PhD, a
board-certified
neuropsychologist at
Northside Hospital
Duluth's Concussion
Institute, offers these
tips to minimize
the risk:
Always wear seat
belts in an automobile, and always use
the correct safety
seat for your child.
Wear appropriate
helmets when biking,
skating, skiing, riding
horses, playing contact sports and riding
a motorcycle.
Use handrails
when taking the
stairs. If you don't
have a handrail for
the stairs in your
home, add one.
If you have young
children, install
safety gates on stairs
to protect them
from falls.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

Symptoms of a concussion can be physical,
mental and emotional. Some of the most
common signs include confusion, clumsiness, nausea or vomiting, dizziness or

Need a Concussion Consultation?

To talk to one of metro Atlanta's leading concussion experts, or to
set up an appointment, call 678-312-7880.

VIM & VIGOR SUMMER 2020

FdVVSU2080_52-53_Concussion.indd 53

3/31/20 9:25 PM


http://www.northside.com/gwinnettconcussion

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC

Contents
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - Cover1
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - Cover2
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - Contents
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 2
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 3
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 4
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 5
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 6
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 7
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 8
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Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 12
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Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 15
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Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 18
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Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 49
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 50
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 51
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 52
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 53
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Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - Cover3
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - Cover4
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