help please- how to fix a concussion?

[Gingerbreadcoffee]

Posted earlier asking the difference between a concussion and a non concussion and I think from the answer I’ve got, I’ve probably got a mild concussion. Does anyone have any tips on how to help the headache go away faster or any advice?

i fell off my horse badly and thudded my head off the ground. I was wearing my helmet and don’t have any other warning signs like vomiting and I wasn’t knocked out, it’s just a bad headache and I feel a bit crap from it! If I had any concerning signs obviously I’d get medical help but I’m fine apart from a headache which is to be expected after a fall!

I’m meant to be riding again tomorrow so any tips or advice to speed up the healing would be greatly appreciated!

I probably wouldn’t risk riding again tomorrow, and would have a couple of days to rest and recover.

Don't ride!
Rest concussion is meant to rest for 7-10 days.some people need weeks for symptoms to go.
Do not drive.
Remove movement of head and neck as much as possible .
Reduce screen time.
Avoid brufen for pain ad this could cause bleeding.

you know you can't "fix" a concussion? it's a brain bruise, so just like a bruised knee or elbow you can't fix it. time and rest is needed.
regarding riding tomorrow, at this point you don't know how your sense of balance, peripheral vision, or reaction time have been affected. i'd be taking the week off.

Yeah it’s a bit more than a headache OP. You’ll be in excruciating pain if you fall again tomorrow. Really think through riding again so soon.

You cant ‘rush a concussion’
Do not ride tomorrow

Jockey Club
www.thepja.co.uk/service/concussion-management/

There's no easy fix for a concussion.

If there is any worsening of your symptoms at all its worth getting checked. Natasha Richardson just bumped her head and it was clear that it was a medical emergency for some time.

Take it easy, rest as much as you can, avoid alcohol and stay away from screens, phones etc to allow your brain to recover for at least a week.

OP please don't ride tomorrow. You need to rest and keep still. Please think about your health. It's not worth the risk.

Echoing what others have said - give yourself a minimum of 7 days before riding again - if you fall off again you could do much more damage. Do not push yourself to do anything if you don’t feel like it. It is a brain injury and it needs time to heal properly.

A concussion on top of an existing concussion is highly dangerous. You would be foolhardy in the extreme to ride tomorrow or at least 7 days post trauma.

I'm afraid you'll need to sit this out - excellent advice from pp to which I would add avoid alcohol.

If you don't believe us, take yourself off the A&E and see what they say

Sorry in advance for caps, this is really important…

YOU NEED A NEW HAT BEFORE RIDING AGAIN. NON NEGOTIABLE

sorry again! Yes, also no riding for at least a few days to a week and then stick with groundwork/slower work for a few days after that. Don’t ever mess with concussions or head injuries.

Just in case you need to hear it again:

You can't fix a concussion.

You can't speed up the healing of a concussion.

Do not ride tomorrow.

Get a new riding hat before you ever ride again.

Call your GP tomorrow for medical advice (important because concussion prevents thinking clearly and you need direct info and clinical advice).

i was disappointed reading everyone’s advice not to ride, but I suppose what’s the point in asking for help if you are just going to ignore the advice and help you get! I’ll give riding a few days off at least. I don’t actually think it even was a concussion at all because I feel absolutely fine today and my head isn’t sore whereas when I was concussed in the past I was sore for days, but I’ll avoid riding today definitely just in case. And definitely using a new hat! My hat from yesterday is in the bin and won’t be used again 👍

There were warnings out this morning for people to be really careful today because the ambulance service is on strike. There was advice to avoid contact sports and dangerous activities.

It does make me wonder how much sport and hobbies such as riding costs the NHS.

Probably costs less than obesity, type 2 diabetes etc

No where near as much as alcohol and cigarettes.

anyway…..

I’m glad you aren’t riding. We have horses too, I know the temptation, but don’t do it. You’ll only get one brain and you can damage yourself forever if you rush a concussion, or have another fall because you aren’t 100%. There isn’t a hack, lesson, or competition anywhere that is worth it.

very pleased to hear you have a new hat. Can I ask you to chop the straps off the old one with scissors please? You never know if it will make it out the bin to someone else. Especially if it’s in a bin at the yard.

There were warnings out this morning for people to be really careful today because the ambulance service is on strike. There was advice to avoid contact sports and dangerous activities.
It does make me wonder how much sport and hobbies such as riding costs the NHS.
Very little I suspect - my DD and I have had many, many falls - some of them bad - and only one ended up with an A&E visit (obvious concussion). I've had mild concussion more than once, torn a hole in a shoulder muscle, been stood on and never once bothered the NHS. Those of us who ride horses tend to be a tough breed!

At least with alcohol and cigarettes the tax made on them goes towards funding the nhs. No such tax for horseriding, sports etc......

If you have concussion or suspected concussion you need to se a doctor.

I have a friend who thought he just had concussion, but actually had compression

He recovered fully from the "concussion" but collapsed 2 weeks later, and has been left with permanent life long brain damage.

He can walk a few steps with a zimmer frame but needs to be pushed in a wheel chair for anything further than around 10 yards, and he doesn't have the strength or coordination to propel himself

He also has speech difficulties.

This is years later now, and he will never recover any further

I pay towards it through my own tax and NI. Where do you draw the line? All sports are dangerous. Let’s never play any sports incase we get hurt

I’ve actually already cut off the straps but thank you for commenting incase anyone else sees this! 😊 always cut the straps in case it ends up in a charity shop or getting reused!!!

Oh definitively no riding for a couple of weeks. And steer clear of any activity where there is increased risk of falling or contact.
A family member recently has a concussion but felt fine and did a contact sport a few days later when they got another knock. It's been a total disaster - had to drop out of education, seriously repercussions physically and mentally and a very long road to recovery.

Please be very careful and look after yourself. Head injuries are awful

Was scrolling to make sure someone had posted this!!!!

From a government report:

*The predicted reduction in GP visits as a result of good health associated with culture
and sport participation has a value to society in that it leads to costs savings for the
NHS of £13.25 (all sports), £7.14 (team sports), £12.12 (individual sports), £5.07
(audience arts), £2.59 (heritage), £1.05 (library) and £1.89 (museum) per person
annum.

The predicted reduction in the use of mental health services as a result of good
health associated with culture and sport participation has a value to society in that it
leads to costs savings for the NHS of £17.86 (all sports), £9.63 (team sports), £16.34
(individual sports), £6.84 (audience arts), £3.50 (heritage), £1.42 (library) and £2.55
(museum) per person per annum.

Using national level data on participation rates in England the total annual NHS cost
savings due to reductions in GP visits (predicted as a result of engaging in culture and
sport) is estimated to be around £384.9M (all sports), £38.3M (team sports),
£347.0M (individual sports), £168.8M (audience arts), £82.2M (heritage), £18M
(library) and £44.7M (museum). These are estimates related only to reductions in GP
visits. There may be knock-on positive or negative effects that impact on society
elsewhere.

Using national level data on participation rates the total annual NHS cost savings in
England due to reductions in the use of mental health services (predicted as a result
of engaging in culture and sport) is estimated to be around £518.8M (all sports),
£51.7M (team sports), £467.9M (individual sports), £227.8M (audience arts),
£111.1M (heritage), £24.3M (library) and £60.3M (museum). *

Show me where cigarettes and alcohol can actually save the NHS money

Sports and hobbues save money
From boosting well being and MH
Hence social prescribing
socialprescribingacademy.org.uk/about-us/what-is-social-prescribing/