Concussion education / Broward County

Slip and Fall Head Injury in Broward: Concussion Signs to Know

Hit your head in a fall at a store, condo or workplace in Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood or Pembroke Pines? Concussion signs to watch and how to get tested.

Falls are sudden and often embarrassing, so people get up quickly and say they are fine. If you or a family member hit your head in a fall anywhere in Broward, it is worth a second look, even if you felt okay at first.

Where falls happen in Broward

Falls happen everywhere in Broward: wet store floors, condo pool decks and stairwells, parking garages after an afternoon storm and job sites across Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines and Coral Springs. Older adults and anyone on blood thinners need extra care after a fall, because a head injury can be more serious for them.

Why falls cause so many head injuries

The CDC lists falls as a leading cause of TBI. Even a fall that seems minor can jolt the brain, and the person may not remember exactly how they landed.

If someone who fell is older, takes blood thinners, or seems confused or very sleepy, get them checked right away.

Common concussion symptoms

• Physical: headache, nausea, dizziness, balance problems, blurry vision, sensitivity to light or noise.
• Thinking: feeling foggy or slowed down, trouble concentrating or remembering.
• Emotional: irritability, sadness, anxiety.
• Sleep: sleeping more or less than usual.

When to go to the emergency room

Call 911 or go to the nearest ER right away for danger signs such as a headache that gets worse and does not go away, repeated vomiting, weakness or numbness, slurred speech, seizures, unusual confusion, one pupil larger than the other, or loss of consciousness. In the area, hospitals with emergency departments include Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale and Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood; in an emergency, go to whichever ER is closest.

Getting checked in Broward County

If symptoms are not severe but are not going away, start with your treating provider, such as your primary care doctor, chiropractor, orthopedist, pain management physician or physical therapist. Keep a short symptom diary to share with them. If they decide objective testing makes sense, they can refer you to Braintree. We are a mobile service: our team brings concussion and TBI testing to your provider's office across Broward County, so you are tested somewhere familiar. Your provider receives a physician-reviewed diagnostic report and decides on your care.

Not sure where to start? Call our help line at 813-709-3771. We can walk you through how testing works and help you think about next steps for getting checked and finding care. You can also read our guide for patients and families.

For local providers

If you treat accident or injury patients in Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines and Coral Springs, Braintree brings mobile concussion and TBI testing to your office and returns a physician-reviewed diagnostic report. You stay in charge of care. We diagnose. You treat. See how it works for providers or send a referral.

For legal teams

Personal injury firms serving Broward County can learn how testing at the client's treating provider's office produces objective, physician-reviewed diagnostic reports. Testing is ordered by the treating provider. See information for attorneys.

Frequently asked questions

Related: Concussion testing in Broward County | Concussion testing in Florida | For patients and families | Call 813-709-3771

Sources

• CDC: About mild TBI and concussion
• CDC HEADS UP: Concussion signs and symptoms
• NIH NINDS: Traumatic Brain Injury

This article is educational and is not medical or legal advice. If this is a medical emergency, call 911.