How to deal with vomiting from a concussion?

Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
Updated on September 22, 2024
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Concussion usually manifests as temporary consciousness disorder and immediate amnesia, meaning the inability to recall specific details at the time. Some patients also experience a series of clinical symptoms including headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, and memory decline. If a patient with a concussion vomits, the first step should be to conduct a head CT to rule out the possibility of intracranial hemorrhage. In addition, symptomatic treatment can be actively provided, with metoclopramide commonly used for intramuscular injection.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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Precursors of concussion

Concussions generally do not have precursors, as they occur immediately after the brain is injured and certain clinical symptoms manifest. There is no concept of a precursor with concussions. The clinical symptoms of a concussion primarily appear after a trauma and include headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, retrograde amnesia, and brief periods of unconsciousness. These symptoms must all be present to classify as related to a concussion. If symptoms are present and a head CT scan shows no significant bleeding, a concussion can generally be diagnosed. Therefore, there is no such thing as precursors, only related clinical manifestations.

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Written by Jiang Fang Shuai
Neurosurgery
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How to administer first aid for a concussion

After a concussion occurs, the injured should be quickly moved from a dangerous environment to a safe area. The injured person should lie flat and rest quietly without sitting up or standing. The head can be appropriately cooled, and it is important to keep the body warm. For patients who are unconscious, it is necessary to keep the airway clear and closely observe their consciousness and pupils. If there are airway secretions or vomiting, they should be cleaned up promptly. If the patient has already experienced respiratory or circulatory problems, immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be performed. After the aforementioned emergency treatment, the next step is to transport the patient to a nearby well-equipped hospital for further diagnosis and treatment.

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Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
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How long does vomiting last with a mild concussion?

Patients with mild concussion typically exhibit brief disturbances in consciousness lasting from several seconds to several minutes after the injury, usually not exceeding half an hour, along with retrograde amnesia. Some patients may also experience varying degrees of headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and other clinical symptoms. The vast majority of mild concussion patients can recover within five to seven days with rest and conditioning, meaning that mild concussion symptoms, including vomiting, can resolve within 5-7 days.

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Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
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How to treat a concussion

The management of concussion patients includes general management and symptomatic drug treatment. General management should include psychological communication with patients who may feel fear and anxiety. Keeping the patient's mood relaxed is beneficial to the recovery of the disease. Secondly, in the early stages of concussion, it is important to observe changes in the patient's general condition to prevent the possibility of delayed intracranial hemorrhage. Thirdly, the patient's diet should be light, easy to digest, and nutritionally reasonable. Additionally, there is symptomatic drug treatment. Some patients may experience severe headaches and insomnia. We can administer some analgesic and hypnotic medications orally. Treatment can also include oral medications that promote the recovery of nerve cells.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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concussion symptoms

The symptoms of a concussion must be judged according to the situation. Different types of individuals may exhibit various clinical symptoms, and not all symptoms described in textbooks will necessarily appear. Many will experience dizziness, headache, vomiting, nausea, and other related clinical symptoms; some may experience transient epileptic seizures, limb numbness and weakness, or speech impairments; some individuals might also experience retrograde amnesia, meaning they forget the events that occurred at the time of the injury; and some may enter a state of coma, lasting more than five minutes but less than half an hour. Therefore, these are all symptoms of a concussion, but not everyone will experience them, and some may also have additional symptoms, which should be assessed based on the situation at the time.