What Is Head Injury and Post-Concussion Syndrome?
Head injury occurs when the skull slams against a windshield, the ground, or some other object. Injury to the head or brain also can occur without direct impact to the head, as in severe “whiplash.” The compression, twisting, and distortion of the brain inside the skull associated with this impact or violent movement has the potential to cause localized as well as widespread physical damage and electrochemical disruption throughout the brain. In addition, damage is often sustained to bone, muscle, and vertebral tissues of the cranial (skull and scalp) and cervical (neck and shoulder) structures. Thus, head injury is the general term that refers to potential injury involving the complex of cerebral, cranial, and cervical structures. Mild head injury, specifically, refers to trauma that results in no or brief loss of consciousness, typically less than about five minutes. Post-concussion syndrome usually involves symptoms stemming collectively from injury to the cerebral, cranial, and cer
