Concussions and the damage they can cause have been at the forefront of recent headlines involving Chicago players such as Bears Hunter Hillenmeyer and Jay Cutler, and with the possible concussion suffered by Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa during Saturday's game against Indiana.
↵↵Now, Rush University Medical Center has opened a clinic designed to get athletes who have suffered concussions a proper diagnosis, and do it quickly:
↵↵Athletes or individuals who suffer a bump or blow to the head now can see a physician for assessment within 24 to 48 hours at the new Chicago Sports Concussion Clinic at Rush University Medical Center. The clinic has one of the largest multidisciplinary teams in the Midwest with clinicians specially trained to assess and manage concussions in athletes.↵↵↵↵"Athletes who return to play while still experiencing symptoms are at highest risk for serious long-term problems, therefore proper diagnosis and management are critical," said Dr. Jeffrey Mjaanes, director of the Chicago Sports Concussion Clinic at Rush and assistant professor of pediatrics and orthopedic surgery. "Our overall goal is to get our athletes back to their sport in the timeliest but safest manner."
The article goes on to say that there are approximately 3.8 million concussions suffered each year in this country, most of them by younger athletes (high school and college age). Dr. Mjaanes goes on to say:
↵↵"We hope to increase awareness of the significance of concussions among athletes, parents, coaches and trainers, as well as advance the understanding of concussion diagnosis and management among health care professionals such as emergency room physicians, family physicians and pediatricians," said Mjaanes.↵↵↵↵Mjaanes is a primary care sports medicine physician - fellowship-trained, board certified in pediatrics and Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ) Certified in Sports Medicine. He is team physician for Simeon Career Academy High School, Trinity International University and one of the team physicians for DePaul University. Mjaanes is also one of the team physicians for US Soccer national teams.
This is a great idea and this new clinic is offering appointments within 24 to 48 hours, critical time saved in diagnosing and treating a concussion. To schedule an appointment, call the clinic at 312-432-2500.