What is a throat contusion? Joe Burrow and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah taken to hospital
Sunday afternoon's game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers seemed like it would never end. Consecutive missed field goals by both teams sent the game into overtime, which again featured more missed field goals.
But after the Bengals' overtime loss to the Packers, it was reported that quarterback Joe Burrow was taken to a local hospital for a possible throat contusion. Apparently Burrow was tackled at one point towards the end of the game and the defender yanked back his jersey into his throat.
#Bengals announce that QB Joe Burrow was taken to the hospital to be evaluated for a possible throat contusion.
Burrow apparently noticed he was losing his voice and the Cincinnati Bengals medical staff decided that he needed to seek further medical attention and sent him to the hospital.
What is a throat contusion?
When it was released after the game that Joe Burrow suffered a throat contusion, many fans thought that was a freak injury. But, Burrow wasn't the only NFL player to suffer the injury Sunday afternoon.
Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah suffered a similar injury against the Los Angeles Chargers later in the afternoon and was also taken to the hospital to be evaluated for a throat contusion.
A throat contusion occurs when there is trauma to the neck. The injury can be quite serious which is the reason that both players were sent to the hospital. Damage to the throat can affect the voice box and airways.
If a person who suffers trauma to their throat has changes in breathing or their voice, the person is sent for a CAT scan, which is likely what Burrow and Owusu-Koramoah underwent.
The CAT scan will then show if there was any fracture or damage to the bones in the neck or if it is just swelling from a bruise to the throat's blood vessels. The swelling from the bruise would cause changes to the voice as well.
Joe Burrow and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah injury update
There was no immediate update on Burrow's condition or if there were any long-term effects. It was announced Monday morning that Owusu-Koramoah was released from the hospital and traveled back to Cleveland.
Good news: #Browns LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who was taken to an LA hospital after yesterday’s game after sustaining a throat contusion, was released from the hospital last night and cleared to travel to Cleveland this morning.
A throat contusion isn't a typical injury for an NFL player. In fact, this type of injury usually occurs to victims of car accidents or boxers/fighters when direct trauma occurs to the throat and neck injury.
If the injury is just a bruise and swelling, neither Burrow nor Owusu-Koramoah should miss any significant time on the field.
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