Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa suffers concussion. What are symptoms, recovery time?

Miami Dolphins Tua Tagovailoa left the game against the Buffalo Bills with a concussion on Thursday Night Football.

It's not his first injury, or his first concussion.

His first registered concussion came during the 2022 season. During the Dolphins' Week 3 game against the Buffalo Bills, the back of Tagovailoa's head hit the ground hard after a hit by Matt Milano.

Four days later, Tagovailoa was slammed hard to the turf during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He lay on the ground afterward with his fingers seemingly frozen in the air for several seconds. It's what neurologists refer to as the "fencing response," and it's a sign of head trauma.

But what exactly is a concussion and what can be done about it?

What is a concussion?

Also known as a traumatic brain injury or TBI, according to the Centers for Disease Control, a concussion can be caused by:

• A bump, blow, or jolt to the head

• By a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth

• Penetrating injury, such as gunshot, to the head

"This causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth. This sudden movement of the brain can damage and stretch brain cells, cause chemical changes, and temporarily disrupt normal brain function, especially in the areas of memory and orientation," said the American Brain Foundation.

"Traumatic brain injuries, even mild ones like concussions, are considered a brain disorder and can potentially cause lasting or permanent impact, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a fatal brain disease associated with repeated traumatic brain injuries."

What happens during a concussion?

The sudden movement can cause:

• The brain to bounce around or twist in the skull

• Chemical changes in the brain

• Stretching and damaging brain cells

There are 3 types of concussions

There are three main types of traumatic brain injuries:

• Mild TBI or concussion: People with a mild TBI or concussion need to be seen by a healthcare provider. The physician can do tests to check for a mild TBI or concussion, including seeing whether you have any problems with learning, memory, concentration or solving problems.

• Moderate TBI: Moderate and severe TBIs may lead to long-term or life-long health problems and are caused mostly by falls and firearm-related injuries. For those who survive, a moderate or severe TBI may lead to long-term or life-long health problems that may affect all aspects of a person's life.

• Severe TBI: A person with a moderate or severe TBI may need ongoing care to help with their recovery.

Symptoms of a concussion or traumatic brain injury

A concussion can cause loss of consciousness for a few seconds or minutes, the American Brain Foundation said.

Immediate symptoms may include:

• headache

• dizziness

• nausea

• vomiting

• difficulty concentrating

• feelings of grogginess

• fatigue, or sleepiness

• slurred speech

• blurred or double vision

• confusion

"An individual with a concussion may briefly lose consciousness, provide delayed verbal responses, and have difficulty with balance, controlling their emotions, and accessing their memories from immediately before, during, or after the injury."

Some mild TBI and concussion symptoms may appear right away, while others may not appear for hours or days after the injury, the CDC said. Symptoms generally improve over time, and most people with a mild TBI or concussion feel better within a couple of weeks.

How do doctors determine if you have a concussion?

A doctor looks for symptoms such as confusion and memory loss following a blow to the head or body that may have jostled the brain.

They may also test hearing, vision, balance, and reflexes or conduct tests to assess recall, concentration, and problem-solving, the American Brain Foundation said.

However, a patient may have a concussion even if the tests are negative.

A scan of your brain (such as a CT scan) is not needed to spot a mild TBI or concussion, but may sometimes be used for patients at risk for bleeding on the brain after a head or brain injury, the CDC said.

How serious is a concussion?

In rare cases, a dangerous blood clot that crowds the brain against the skull can develop. People checking on you should call 911 or take you to an emergency department right away if you:

• Have a headache that gets worse and does not go away

• Experience weakness, numbness, decreased coordination, convulsions, or seizures

• Vomit repeatedly

• Have slurred speech or unusual behavior

• Have one pupil (the black part in the middle of the eye) larger than the other

• Cannot recognize people or places, get confused, restless, or agitated

• Lose consciousness, look very drowsy or cannot be woken up

Is there any treatment if you have a concussion?

Treatment for a concussion typically includes rest and monitoring the individual for changes in or worsening of symptoms, the American Brain Foundation said.

Doctors often recommend acetaminophen for headache to reduce the risk of a brain bleed.

Individuals with a more severe concussion or longer-lasting effects may benefit from physical or occupational therapy and psychological or psychiatric support, the foundation said.

Repeated concussions could mean longer recovery time

A person with a history of multiple or repeated mild TBIs or concussions may experience a longer recovery or more severe symptoms, the CDC said. They may also have long-term problems, including:

• Ongoing problems with concentration, memory, headache

• Physical problems, such as keeping one's balance

"There is growing concern about the long-term effects on the brain of people who experience multiple or repeated head impacts," the CDC said.

"Repeated head impacts include not only head impacts that lead to a mild TBI or concussion, but also head impacts that do not cause the person to feel symptoms after a hit to the head."

Repeated concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy

"Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a brain disease that affects how the brain works. It is linked to a build-up of abnormal proteins that damage brain tissue and cause brain cells to undergo cell death.

"Research suggests CTE is associated with long-term exposure to repeated hits to the head," the CDC said, noting more research is needed on the subject.

Currently, the only way doctors can confirm a CTE diagnosis is by checking the brain of a person after they die.

How common are TBIs, concussions?

There were approximately 214,110 TBI-related hospitalizations in 2020 and 69,473 TBI-related deaths in 2021, the CDC said.

People age 75 years and older had the highest numbers and rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and deaths.

Falls lead to nearly half of the TBI-related hospitalizations, the CDC said.

ContributING: Dan Rorabaugh, USA TODAY Network-Sports

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Tua Tagovailoa injury: Concussion, symptoms, recovery time