Rushing Recovery

Reported by: Marilyn Mitzel
Producer: Laura Garrigan

Every year thousands of people suffer concussions. The big question is - knowing when you're healed. A new test can do that so you won't end up rushing your recovery and do more damage.

(WSVN) Car accidents - sports - falling and bumping your head. these are a few things that cause concussions.

Mike Armanious, who had a concussion, says "My eyes, they were very dilated and my response. I couldn't speak very well and my memory for the whole day was gone."
Mike Armanious got a concussion while playing hockey.

It happens when the brain is jarred suddenly and bumps against the skull or spins around.
Symptoms include - disorientation - loss of consciousness - amnesia.

Experts say it's an injury that should not be taken lightly.

Doctors often rely on patients to tell them when they feel better and think they're healed.
But often that doesn't work - especially with athletes.

Dr. Mark Lovell, Neuropsychologist, says "Most of the athletic trainers I've talked to said they frequently had to take the helmet away from a head-injured player to keep them from going back on the field."

But a new simple 20 minute computer test takes the guess work out of the game.
It's called impact - immediate post-concussion assesment and cognitive testing.
It measures memory, visual motor skills and brain processing speed.
It's great for athletes - they can take it at the beginning of the season to get a baseline score - then following a concussion - take it again until they reach that same baseline score.
Then doctors would know for sure they're not rushing recovery.

"Their performance goes down after a concussion and then we can check that and wait until it normalizes."

That's crucial because once you've had a concussion - you're much more likely to have another one - even with a mild hit.

If you're brain is not completely healed - that second hit is often more dangerous and can be fatal within a very short period of time.

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The impact test is available through the university of pittsburgh center for sports medicine.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.concussion.org
www.headinjury.com
www.muhealth.org

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