Is the definition of a "concussion" too narrow? New study says yes...
Friday, October 12, 2012 at 12:32PM 
A recent study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery argues that the current method of diagnosing sport-related concussions and head injuries based on the athletes’ reported symptoms is inadequate. According to the lead researcher, Ann-Christine Duhaime, MD, “The term ‘concussion’ means different things to different people, and it’s not yet clear that the signs and symptoms we now use to make a diagnosis will ultimately prove to be the most important pieces of this complicated puzzle.”
In Emergency Departments, patients that are diagnosed with a concussion usually exhibit “immediate changes in consciousness” due to a “clearly identified head impact.” However, after studying 450 contact-sport athletes with specialized sensors in their helmets, Duhaime and her team determined that of 48 concussions sustained, 17 of them could not be associated with a specific head impact and many of the athletes were unaware of the symptoms until several hours after their games. Clearly, not all concussions follow the same pattern and different athletes have various timings of symptoms and ways of describing them.
It seems that athletes would benefit from a broader categorization of concussions and a more encompassing method of diagnosing them. As Duhaime concludes, “A lot of work is needed before we can understand to what extent patients’ reported symptoms—compared to such factors as the actual force imparted to the brain, previous head injuries and genetic background—influence the eventual consequences of repeated head impacts, consequences that may vary from patient to patient.”
Follow the below link to read more about this on MedicalXpress.com:
“Criteria used to diagnose sports head injuries found to be inconsistent”
Follow this link for the study as published in the Journal of Neurosurgery:
