Concussion and Dog Attack Injuries

When a dog lunges at you, knocks you down, and bites you, the first thing you worry about is usually the bite injury.  Will you need stitches?  If the dog bites your hand, will you need surgery, and when will you be able to write again?  Likewise, if a dog knocks you down, but its owners are able to get it to disengage before it bites you, you might think that the unsteady, unsettled feeling you are experiencing is just the physiological response to fear.  Whether or not the dog attack involved a bite that broke the skin, you should get a thorough medical examination immediately after the incident.  You might have sustained an injury that is not visible from the outside and that starts to show symptoms in the hours or days following the attack, instead of immediately afterward.  If you have been diagnosed with a concussion after a dog attack, contact an Atlanta dog bite lawyer.

How Does Concussion Result From Dog Attack Injuries?

Concussion is the mildest form of traumatic brain injury (TBI).  It can occur whenever your head collides with a surface or an object with enough force that the impact can affect your brain.  Motor vehicle accidents are one of the leading causes of concussion, and so are contact sports such as tackle football, rugby, and boxing.  It is also possible to sustain a concussion in an accidental fall, though.  In a dog attack, it can occur if a big dog jumps on you and causes you to fall on a hard floor.  If you fell and hit your head when a dog jumped on you, you should mention this to your doctor during the examination immediately after your attack.

Concussion Can Cause Troublesome Long-Term Symptoms

Symptoms of concussion usually begin between three and 48 hours after the initial traumatic injury, whether or not the original impact caused you to lose consciousness.  The first symptoms can include headache, dizziness, nausea, and sensitivity to light.  These symptoms can persist for weeks or months, along with difficulty concentrating, impaired vision, drowsiness, and mood changes such as irritability or depression.

If the head injury that caused the concussion also injured the pituitary gland, which is located directly below the brain, then a condition called hypopituitarism might develop.  This is where your pituitary gland produces insufficient levels of the hormones that affect your appetite for food, your sleep cycles, your fertility, and other aspects of your health.  Symptoms can include weight gain, increased urination, loss of body hair, and menstrual cycle changes, among other symptoms.  Treatment for hypopituitarism involves taking hormonal medications to replace the hormones that your pituitary gland is not producing.

Contact Zagoria Law About Dog Bite Cases

An Atlanta personal injury lawyer can help you get compensation for your dog-bite related medical bills if you suffered a head injury in a dog stack and it led to complications such as concussion.  Contact Zagoria Law in Atlanta, Georgia to discuss your case.

Source:

headway.org.uk/about-brain-injury/individuals/effects-of-brain-injury/hormonal-imbalances/