Fit & Well: March is Brain Injury Awareness Month

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — For this week’s Fit and Well Idaho Report: March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. A traumatic brain injury, or TBI is an injury that affects how the brain works.

Most TBI’s that occur each year are mild TBI’s or concussions; a mild TBI or concussion is caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head, or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, chemical changes in the brain, and stretching and damaging of brain cells. These changes in the brain lead to symptoms that may affect how a person thinks, learns, feels, acts, and sleeps.

“When somebody is diagnosed with concussion in our clinic, there are laws both nationwide and in our state that say a student is unable to return to their sport until they are cleared from their concussion,” said Dr. Luke Sugden of St Luke’s Sports Medicine Clinic. “So part of our job is to help the patient understand what a concussion is and come up with a good treatment plan for them.”

According to St. Luke’s Sports Medicine Clinic, it takes about two weeks to be cleared for a concussion. If a person tries to return to any sport after a brain injury, it can cause swelling in the brain, which can lead to more long-term issues. If you suspect that your child or teen has a concussion, see a medical provider immediately.

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