How many times have you watched a Looney Tunes cartoon in which Wile E. Coyote gets smashed on the head with a weight and sees stars? Although he dusts himself off and gets back on his Road Runner-prowl, that kind of injury is no joke. If you're an athlete who suffers head trauma, you probably won't pop right back up. You might not even know how seriously you're hurt until you get the facts.

A concussion occurs when you take a direct blow to the head. Most times, the jarring of the brain inside the skull can alter normal brain functions. In other words, you may "see stars, feel disoriented and dazed, or become unconscious," says the director of University of Pittsburgh (UP) concussion program, Mark Lovell, Ph.D. The danger? After the initial blow, you're at risk for it to happen again.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost 1.5 million brain injuries are reported each year in the United States. That means, every 15 seconds someone suffers from a concussion or other brain-related injury. The big question is, if you're a victim of a concussion, when is the right time to return to play?

The answer isn't simple, but the UP medical center's concussion program is working on it. In the recent past, they were awarded a $3 million grant to study concussions in young athletes.

"The primary focus is to help determine when the brain of a high school or college athlete actually returns back to normal," explains Lovell. "Since the recovery period is different with all athletes, however, right now there is no universal standard for when an athlete can return."

The study will run for five years, during which time 200 concussion-suffering athletes will be studied. In the meantime, the best thing you can do to protect your head is to school yourself on the symptoms.

Headin' For a Fall

• Symptoms of a concussion may include:


• feeling dazed, dizzy, or lightheaded


• having trouble remembering things (such as what happened directly before and after the injury occurred)


• blurred vision and sensitivity to light


• nausea, vomiting, and headaches


• difficulty concentrating, thinking, or making decisions


• anxiety or irritability for no apparent reason


• feeling overly fatigued


• lack of coordination or balance

If any of these symptoms persist, seek medical attention.

Sound Off! Post Your Comments