The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) is set to participate in this weekend's Sports Concussion Conference that will take place from July 11-13 in Chicago, Illinois. On Thursday, the Academy reiterated that doctors have an ethical obligation to educate and protect athletes from concussions.
With concussions occurring at an all-time high and longtime, lingering symptoms being revealed in older and former contact-sport athletes, participation in such sports such as football has declined dramatically. An injury that was once regarded as minor is now a serious matter, and neurologists across the country claim they have an 'ethical obligation' to protect athletes in all sports from concussions.
The issue has become so paramount that the White House opted to host the first-ever concussion summit in May, which drew a large attendance consisting of young athletes, parents, coaches, academics, experts, military servicemembers, and others who have studied concussions. Additionally, the National Football League (NFL), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and National Institutes of Health (NIH) were present.
According to the American Academy of Neurology, a concussion can occur when the head hits an object, a moving object strikes the head, or the head experiences a sudden force without being hit directly. Symptoms include headaches, temporary loss of consciousness, confusion, amnesia, dizziness, ringing in the ears, nausea, vomiting, slurred speech, delayed response to questions, appearing dazed, and fatigue. The Academy hopes to continue promoting their education on the issue to all who may be affected by concussions in some way.
Each year in the United States there are between 1.6 million and 3.8 million concussion diagnoses due to participation in sports. Nine percent of these concussions are suffered by high school athletes and their effect on young brains is perhaps more severe, especially if the injury is not treated correctly. Concussion tests are essential because a player might not feel symptoms right away, and if he/she continues participating in a sport with the injury, then the outcome can be detrimental to one's health.
"With nearly 4 million sports-related concussions in the US each year, it is imperative doctors are educated and protect these athletes who may have sustained a concussion. Concussions can have devastating effects such as short-term impairments in athletes' cognitive and athletic performance. Repeat concussions have been linked to long-term impairments in brain function, such as problems with learning, memory and behavior," said lead author Dr. Matthew P. Kirschen in this Medical News Today release.
The paper urged that physicians who treat sports-related concussions need adequate training and experience to ensure their knowledge of the testing and diagnoses processes. If a doctor possesses all the information on the subject, they will inherently have an 'ethical obligation' based on what they already know.
You can read more about the AAN paper in the Journal of the American Academy of Neurology.