05/18/2018

Concussion Rehabilitation: Not Just for Athletes

Some concussions happen on the athletic field – images of football players slamming into one another come to mind. But, more often, concussions are caused by a fall, a car accident, or even a “ridiculous accident.” That’s how Mary James, of Durham, describes the moment at work when an old computer fell off a refrigerator and onto her head.

“I didn’t lose consciousness, but I had a terrible headache all day,” Mary recalls. “Foolishly, I stayed at work. That evening, I had a difficult time driving home safely.”

Mary made a common mistake – many people with concussions do not understand how serious the injury can be. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by any hit to the head or body that causes the brain to shake around inside the skull. Symptoms may include headache, confusion, memory loss, dizziness and exhaustion. Mary had them all, keeping her out of work for five months.