Dietary considerations for mild concussion

Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
Updated on December 22, 2024
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Mild concussions usually do not show organic damage on a head CT; they are temporary functional dysfunctions of brain neural functions, typically manifesting as brief post-injury consciousness disturbances and retrograde amnesia. The diet for patients with mild concussions should avoid cold, raw, or strongly irritating foods, such as spicy dishes, and refrain from drinking alcohol or smoking. Their diet should primarily consist of light, easy-to-digest foods, high in protein and vitamins, but low in fat and sugar, including plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits.

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Written by Jiang Fang Shuai
Neurosurgery
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Mild concussion sequelae

Mild concussions generally do not have any lasting effects. After a mild concussion, as long as one rests well, maintains a good mindset, and uses medication when necessary, along with symptomatic supportive treatment, the vast majority of people can fully recover within one to two weeks without any lasting effects. Only a few people, due to psychological and mental factors, may continue to experience symptoms that are difficult to improve for more than three months. In these cases, we consider these to be the after-effects of mild concussion, which mainly manifest as headaches, dizziness, dry heaving, vomiting, anxiety, insomnia, lack of concentration, memory decline, slow reactions, irritability, and a bad temper, among others.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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How long should one rest for a concussion?

Concussions generally require about one to two weeks of rest, depending mainly on the specific symptoms of the patient. If the symptoms are relatively mild and the injury was not particularly severe, then about a week of rest is usually sufficient for returning to normal work and study. In some cases, if the concussion was relatively severe at the time of injury and subsequent complications or sequelae occur, then the rest period may need to be appropriately extended, possibly to about a month, depending on the patient's specific symptoms. In the vast majority of cases, resting for two weeks is generally sufficient for returning to normal work and study without involving any special issues. As long as medical advice is followed and treatment is correctly administered, many concussions can heal completely.

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

The first patient has a history of head trauma. The second patient's CT scan did not reveal any substantive changes in brain tissue. The third patient may exhibit some clinical symptoms, such as transient consciousness disorders, typically lasting no more than half an hour. There is also recent memory loss; the patient cannot recall the incident. Additionally, the patient experiences self-reported symptoms of dizziness, headache, nausea, loss of appetite, insomnia, memory decline, and lack of concentration. With these medical histories, some CT scans, and symptoms, a concussion can be diagnosed.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Mild concussion symptoms

For patients with mild concussion, they often experience temporary loss of consciousness after suffering from violent blows, car accidents, falls from heights, and other accidental injuries, generally lasting no longer than 30 minutes. When patients regain consciousness, they may feel headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and have difficulty accurately recalling the incident, often referred to as retrograde amnesia. For such patients, cranial CT or MRI scans often show no significant positive signs, and it is suggested that no special treatment is necessary. Instead, patients should focus on rest, avoid overworking and exhaustion, and reduce excessive mental stimulation. The symptoms of most patients will gradually alleviate or even disappear within about two weeks.

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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.