Are You Concussion-Savvy?

Measure your understanding of concussions with these five questions.

Doctor looking at a head scan for signs of concussion.Most of us think of a concussion primarily as a sportsrelated injury — and statistics show that one out of every five reported concussions is sports-related. But any violent shaking or blow to the head can lead to a concussion.

“A suspected concussion should be taken seriously — whether it happens on the playing field, in your home, or on the job,” says Michael (Micky) Collins, PhD, assistant director of the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program. A nationally recognized expert in sports-related concussions, Dr. Collins co-created — along with Mark R. Lovell, PhD, director of the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program and Joseph C. Maroon, MD, vice chairman of Neurosurgery at UPMC Presbyterian and neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers — the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) “Concussion Tool Kit for Physicians.”

How much do you really know about concussions?

Take this true-false quiz to test your understanding of this common but potentially life-threatening injury:

  1. A concussion is a brain injury. True or False
  2. Signs and symptoms of concussion can develop right after the injury or even hours or days later. True or False
  3. Concussions occur even if the person has not been
    knocked unconscious. True or False
  4. A repeat concussion that occurs before the brain recovers from the first can slow recovery or increase the likelihood of long-term problems. True or False
  5. Concussions can have a more serious effect on a young, developing brain. True or False

If you answered “true” to all five questions, you’re ahead of the game — but there’s more you should know. Get the facts about concussion symptoms and treatment at www.UPMC.com/Today.

Did You Know?

ImPACT™, the concussion evaluation system most widely in use worldwide by professional, college, and high school sports teams, was developed at UPMC by Dr. Lovell, Dr. Collins, and Dr. Maroon.

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