ALTON, Illinois (WAND) — While recent high-profile concussions have rocked NFL protocol, OSF Healthcare wants to remind people in central Illinois that anyone can suffer a concussion. thinking about.
OSF Healthcare Physiotherapist Kelly Bogowith told WAND News:
Bogowith recently treated patient Charlotte Davis at a clinic in Alton, Illinois. Davis didn’t care much when the hydraulics in her trunk failed and hit her in the head. But after a few weeks she realized she needed to see a doctor.
“I hit a flowerpot, ran through a ditch, got my turn wrong, and forgot where I was going three times…
Davis eventually ended up in an OSF rehabilitation clinic when doctors said he didn’t have a brain hemorrhage.
“Most of the time it lasts a week or two, but it can actually be longer, weeks or even months,” explains Bogowith.
Bogowith said concussions can be difficult to diagnose and treat because they don’t always have physical symptoms.
“If you’re not feeling well, if you’re feeling different in some way, I think you need to get therapy,” Bogowith said.
She also said symptoms such as imbalance, nausea, vomiting, headaches, sensitivity to light and noise, and dizziness after hitting the head should also be watched for.
“The first thing is to make sure you tell someone these things, because it’s not always possible for someone to see them,” Bogowith added.
However, physical, occupational, and speech therapy can help people make a full recovery.
“In my clinic, we deal more with the headache and neck pain side of concussion, so we do things like self-mobilization and teaching exercises to help with these headaches and stretches,” Bogowith says. told WAND News.
“If your doctor tells you to get treatment, I will 100% tell you: go for treatment. You won’t know how much you need until you actually go.
Bogowith says concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries, and repeated concussions can lead to cerebral hemorrhages. She believes policy changes like the ones happening in the NFL are making the public more aware of the seriousness of concussions.
Copyright 2022. WAND TV. All rights reserved.