Workplace Concussions: They Truly Exist
From walking to the office to organizing stock in the backroom, the chance of a concussion is also present in the workplace. About 1 in 4 mild traumatic brain injuries in adults happen at work, and people who sustained a traumatic brain injury in the workplace were typically hit by an object. The Neurologic Rehabilitation Institute reported that the largest writer of workers’ compensation in the Midwest saw a 48% increase in reported concussions from 2012 to 2014.
People don’t typically think about concussions when they’re signing into work each day. As people shift back to working in the office or hybrid work, it’s good to take precautions relevant to your workplace environment.
You Think You’re Concussed
The CDC breaks down the symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury and concussion into four categories:
Physical
Thinking and Remembering
Social or Emotional
Sleep
If you sustain a concussion, you have a greater chance of getting another concussion. Second impact syndrome is a similar concept to how you’re more likely to re-sprain an ankle.
To best determine if you have a concussion, seek care from a healthcare professional, such as a primary care provider or emergency department physician, for testing that can provide more definitive answers. Our i-STAT TBI Plasma test, cleared by the FDA in 2021, helps clinicians assess individuals with suspected mild traumatic brain injuries, and we are working on additional advancements.
Stay safe. Get tested. Concussions aren’t that innocent.
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