Okuzeka
Emergency Medicine & First Aid vocabulary · Trauma and Injuries

Concussion

Meaning in emergency medicine & first aid, with examples

/kənˈkʌʃən/nounCommon term

In emergency medicine & first aid, concussion means: A mild brain injury caused by a blow or jolt to the head, which can cause headache, confusion, dizziness and memory problems, usually for a short time.

In Turkish: beyin sarsıntısı, serebral konküzyon

How it is used

Common in sport and falls. A player may be 'concussed', taken off the pitch and asked to follow a gradual return-to-play plan. Loss of consciousness is not needed for a concussion, which surprises many patients.

Example sentences

  1. He took a knee to the head and probably has a concussion.

  2. Concussion symptoms can last for days or even weeks.

Common collocations

  • mild concussion
  • suffer a concussion
  • concussion symptoms
  • concussion protocol
  • head injuryAny injury to the scalp, skull or brain, from a minor bump to a serious brain injury with bleeding or swelling inside the skull.
  • GCSShort for Glasgow Coma Scale: a score from 3 to 15 for level of consciousness, based on how a patient opens their eyes, speaks and moves.
  • traumaPhysical injury to the body caused by an outside force, such as a road crash, a fall, an assault or an explosion, especially when it is serious.
  • unconsciousNot awake and not aware of what is happening, so that the person cannot respond normally to voices or touch.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Trauma and Injuries

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.