Concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury 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 (CDC, 2019). In many sports, players are at an increased risk of sustaining a concussion due to the level of contact and nature of competition.
After sustaining a concussion, you might feel like you’re drunk. You may feel nauseous, dizzy, unbalanced, forgetful or having difficulties remembering. These symptoms may come on straight away or over the following 48hrs. If there is a chance that you may have been concussed, but aren’t sure, DO NOT DRINK ANY ALCOHOL that evening. Alcohol thins our blood, which, if you have an undiagnosed bleed in the brain, will exacerbate this which can lead to death.
It’s important that if you sustain a blow to the head or body and begin feeling different to how you felt prior to the contact, that you remove yourself from the field of play and tell someone. Likewise, it’s equally important that if you witness your teammate sustain a similar injury and they are acting differently, then you tell your coach straight away.
The University of Brighton runs a FREE concussion clinic, ensuring you feel supported from diagnosis to return to sport.To book in, simply email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
