March is associated with a number of things: the arrival of spring, longer daylight hours, warmer temperatures, and not the least of which, St. Patrick’s Day! It’s a good reason to wear all manner of green garb and shamrocks, and dress like a leprechaun. But did you know that March is also Brain Injury Awareness Month?
Go Blue for Brain Injury
Emerson Hospital’s Dr. Robert Cantu Concussion Center and the Center for Rehabilitative and Sports Therapies are joining the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts in their quest to “go blue for brain injuries”. Physicians, therapists and staff at the two Emerson centers will be wearing blue on March 8 to help raise awareness among our patients and community of brain injuries, especially concussions!
Concussion Facts
- A concussion is a result of the brain being slammed against the skull.
- A concussion is a traumatic brain injury.
- You don’t need to lose consciousness to have a serious concussion.
- Helmets protect the skull from a fracture or impact from a stick or a ball, but they do not prevent concussions from body blows that impact the brain inside the skull.
- Girls get concussions at a higher rate than boys in soccer and basketball.
- Concussion symptoms can appear several days after an incident.
- Headache and dizziness are the most common symptoms.
- Most concussions occur from falls.
- Possible signs of a concussion may be answering questions slowly, behavior or personality changes, forgetting routine things, and the appearance of being dazed or confused.
Armed with the right information, we can help shed light on concussions and other brain injuries. Join us by wearing blue on March 8 and show your support for people living with brain injuries.