Cheerleading is the #1 cause of high school injuries today.

Back to school can be fun for students – and a bit dangerous for student athletes. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 300,000 student athletes suffer concussions from school sports activities each year. Most require only observational testing, but others can require an MRI or CT. Jacksonville students luckily have Precision Imaging Centers close by.

A concussion happens when the brain hits the skull as the result of a hard hit on the football field or a fall in a failed cheerleading stunt. Two types of concussions exist: simple concussions and complex concussions. Both involve similar symptoms and signs including nausea, headache, short-term memory loss, dizziness, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, slurred speech, impaired balance and aggressive or over-emotional personality changes, among others. The difference is that an athlete with a simple concussion will recover within seven to ten days and primarily will require rest. Complex concussions, however, can take several weeks or months to heal. Victims can have emotional outbursts or recurrences of symptoms associated with exercise.

Unfortunately, students, coaches and parents often fail to recognize symptoms of a concussion, particularly a complex concussion in a youth athlete who walks off the field and initially seems okay. That’s why it’s important for parents, coaches and fellow athletes to keep a close eye on a student who takes a hard lick. It’s important to know that female victims often have a tougher time recovering from concussions than do male victims and that cheerleading – not football or wresting as many might think -is the top cause of high school sports injuries today.

If you believe your child may have suffered a complex concussion, insist that your doctor order an MRI or CT at Jacksonville’s Precision Imaging Centers. We have top-notch physicians and diagnostic specialists and are conveniently located near the St. Johns Town Center. Our evening and weekend hours accommodate the busiest school and work schedules and our prices for scans and imaging exams including MRIs and CTs for Jacksonville area patients often are 80%-90% lower than hospital charges for similar exams. To find out more about scheduling your child for an MRI or CT, call Jacksonville’s top imaging professionals at 904-996-8100 or contact us via our convenient online email form today.