Study Says, Your Concussion May Actually Be a Neck Injury

A concussion sounds like the furthest thing from a neck injury, but new research suggests the dividing line between the symptoms of these two quite different injuries may not be all that clear. If you’ve been diagnosed with a concussion and your symptoms are stubbornly persistent, you may want to discuss with your doctor the possibility that you might be suffering from a neck injury instead.

It may sound odd – after all, concussions affect the head while with a neck injury it’s obviously the neck that has been injured – but according to a study conducted by University at Buffalo sports medicine researchers and recently published in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, people suffering from neck injuries may experience symptoms similar to those who are suffering from concussions.

Despite the fact that cognitive symptoms are most commonly associated with concussions, which involve an injury to the brain, the study found that patients suffering from neck injuries also experienced cognitive symptoms common to concussions, including headaches, memory deficits, blurred vision, dizziness and poor concentration.

One hundred and twenty-eight patients participated in the study, which used a graded treadmill test to determine the type of injury suffered by each participant. The study found that diagnosis based on symptoms alone was difficult; using sophisticated statistical analysis, the researchers found that it was challenging to separate the two groups of patients based solely on their symptom patterns.

Why is a proper diagnosis important? Treatment options for those suffering from concussion – typically rest followed by an exercise program that gradually increases in intensity – differs significantly from the more active, physical and vestibular therapy usually prescribed for neck injuries.

If you’ve suffered from a personal injury as a result of someone else’s negligence, a competent attorney will help you get the compensation to which you are entitled. Robert Greening is the principal attorney at Greening Law, P.C. He has dedicated his 24 years of practice to the litigation of wrongful death and serious injury cases. If you have a question about a recall or injury, contact Greening Law, P.C. at 972-934-8900.