Concussions are unfortunately common types of injury, even in childhood. Many people do not realize that getting a concussion is serious, and time should be spent recovering in order to help the brain heal. While you should take precautions to protect yourself from getting a concussion, sometimes they are unavoidable.

Concussions can cause long term damage to your brain health if you are not careful. If you have this injury, here is a guide to help you know how you should care for yourself to recuperate. 

1. Realize that the injury takes a long time to heal.

People often shrug off a concussion, thinking they can go back to normal within a day (or even within a few hours) of injury, but really, the side effects concussion can take several weeks to go away. You will experience head pain, soreness, confusion, increased desire for rest, reduced mental acuity, nausea, dizziness, trouble focusing, and other physical side effects.

If these are still present, you should take time off from work or school to rest. You should also take it easy; don't play sports, increase your activity level, or do anything overly strenuous. Refrain from even calm activities like yoga, as inversions can increase blood pressure in the head. 

2. Get some sleep.

Sleep is the brain's medication. After you've been cleared to go home by the doctor, follow through on your increased desire for sleep. Minimize sleep distractions, and take naps during the day when you need them. When you're awake, you should still take a restful attitude. You may not feel like or be able to concentrate on reading, but you might listen to audiobook or play some music as you do light chores (like washing dishes at the sink or folding laundry) at home. 

3. Gradually increase activity.

Don't go from resting to running all at once. Each day as you are feeling better, you can increase your activity. If you notice symptoms returning or getting worse when you're becoming more active, immediately stop the activity and consult your doctor. 

4. Watch for post-concussive syndrome.

Finally, realize that your body may be more affected than usual by a concussion. The effects of concussion normally fade over a few weeks, but some people may experience cognitive and physical changes for months after head trauma. These should be assessed and treated by your doctor. Do not ignore lingering symptoms in order to go back to activities that put you at risk for injuring yourself again. Repeated head trauma can have permanently debilitating results. 

To learn more about brain condition treatments, contact services such as Allegheny Brain And Spine Surgeons.