National Concussion Awareness Day was founded in 2016 by Brooke Mills, who suffered a concussion as a freshman in high school. The mission of this day is to start a conversation to increase concussion awareness nationally, raise funds for brain injury charitable organizations, and show support for those suffering though social media, community events, and press coverage of the day.

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—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 rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells. Concussions have become an epidemic in the United States, with millions of mild traumatic brain injuries happening each year.

The Centers of Disease Control (CDC) offers signs of a concussion to look out for if you see someone hit their head:

• Can’t recall events prior to or after a hit or fall
• Appears dazed or stunned
• Forgets an instruction, is confused about an assignment or position, or is unsure of the game, score, or opponent
• Moves clumsily
• Answers questions slowly
• Loses consciousness — even briefly
• Shows mood, behavior, or personality changes

Below are reported symptoms of a concussion from the CDC:

• Headache or “pressure” in head
• Nausea or vomiting
• Balance problems or dizziness, or double or blurry vision
• Bothered by light or noise
• Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy
• Confusion, or concentration or memory problems
• Just not “feeling right,” or “feeling down”

Signs and symptoms generally show up soon after the injury. However, you may not know how serious the injury is at first and some symptoms may not show up for hours or days. For more information, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/basics/concussion_symptoms.html and https://nationalconcussionawarenessday.com/index.html

Credit: CDC, National Brain Injury Information Center, NationalConcussionAwarenessDay.com

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