A Concussion Is Not Always Caused By A Hit To The Head

A Concussion Is Not Always Caused
By A Hit To The Head

A concussion does not have to be caused by a direct blow to the head. The official public definition of concussion published online by the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states:

“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.” (1)

If you notice the definition states that a jolt to the head and a blow to the body can cause a concussion.

A jolt to the head does not mean a hit to the head. A blow to the body means a blow somewhere below the head, not a blow to the head. In both cases it is an indirect force, not a direct force, that causes damage to the brain.

Play Video

The animation shows that all that is needed to cause a concussion is enough force to make the brain hit the inside of the skull. That’s what causes the injury.

The animation was created by the CDC, the most authoritative public health institution in the world, for it’s Heads-UP program.

Heads-Up was created by the CDC to clear-up any doubts among the public or health professionals about the nature of the concussion and what to do about it.

Concussion has always been with us, but it is only just in the last few years following research into NFL players that concussion is now being prioritized in everyday cases such as low-speed car accidents, work injuries and sports injuries.

At Grande Family Chiropractic, we have been treating concussions, whiplash, work injuries and sports injuries for the people of Bowie, Crofton, Odenton, Gambrills, Upper Marlboro and the surrounding areas for 15 years, and we follow the CDC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of concussion.

(1) (From CDC Heads-UP, definition of concussion)