Patient education: Concussion in adults (The Basics)

What is a concussion? — A "concussion" is the medical term for a mild brain injury. It can cause confusion, memory loss, and headache.

A concussion usually happens after a person hits their head. But in some cases, it can happen after an injury or accident that causes violent shaking of the head.

Common causes of concussion include:

●Car accidents

●Falling down and other accidents that can happen from daily activities

●Injuries from playing sports such as football, ice hockey, soccer, and boxing

●Injuries that can happen to soldiers during combat. These include injuries from blasts and bullet wounds.

What are the symptoms of a concussion? — People used to think that "passing out" or "blacking out" was an important feature of a concussion. But it is actually common to have a concussion without blacking out.

Symptoms that can happen immediately, or in the first minutes to hours after a concussion, include:

●Memory loss – People sometimes forget what caused their injury, as well as what happened right before and after the injury.

●Confusion

●Headache

●Dizziness or trouble with balance

●Nausea or vomiting

Some people recover quickly from a concussion and have no further symptoms. But others have symptoms that persist or happen hours to days after a concussion. These might include:

●Trouble walking or talking

●Memory problems or problems paying attention

●Trouble sleeping or feeling very tired or sleepy

●Mood or behavior changes (for example, acting cranky, irritable, or not like themselves)

●Being bothered by things like noise or light

Will I need tests? — It depends on your injury and symptoms. To check if you have a concussion, your doctor will ask about your symptoms and do a physical exam. They will also ask you questions to check that you are thinking clearly.

If your doctor suspects a serious injury, they might order an imaging test of the brain, such as a CT or MRI scan. These tests create pictures of the skull and inside of the brain.

How is a concussion treated? — If you think that you are having symptoms related to a head injury or concussion, see a doctor or nurse. This might be your regular doctor, or they might refer you to a different doctor.

Treatment of a concussion involves:

●Preventing further injury – While you are healing, it's important not to do too much, especially activities that could lead to another head injury, like organized sports. Having a second injury while the brain is healing from a concussion can seriously damage the brain.

●Physical rest – Rest your body, and get plenty of sleep. Avoid heavy exercise or too much physical activity if it makes you feel worse.

●Mental rest – Doctors also call this "cognitive rest." Avoid doing activities that need concentration or a lot of attention if they make you feel worse. Sometimes, activities using screens, especially videogames, can make people feel worse after a concussion. You can start doing these things again as you get better.

●Avoiding alcohol and cannabis while you are still having symptoms of concussion

●Treating headache – You can take an over-the-counter pain reliever if you have a headache. These include acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol) and NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (sample brand name: Aleve).

Most concussions get better on their own, but it can take time. For some people, the symptoms go away within minutes to hours. Other people have symptoms for weeks to months. When symptoms last a long time, doctors call it "postconcussion syndrome."

When should I call for help? — After a concussion, your doctor might recommend that someone stay with you for 12 to 24 hours. This person should watch for any new symptoms.

Someone should call for an ambulance (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if you:

●Cannot be fully woken up

●Are acting confused or disoriented

●Have a sudden and persistent change in your behavior

●Cannot walk normally

●Have trouble speaking or slurred speech

●Have severe weakness or cannot move an arm, leg, or 1 side of your face

●Have a seizure or jerking of your arms or legs you cannot control

Someone should call the doctor or nurse for advice if you:

●Have concussion symptoms that are not improving or are getting worse, even with physical and mental rest

●Have blood or clear liquid draining from your ears or nose

●Seem weak or have numbness in an arm, leg, or other body part

●Have a stiff neck

●Have a headache that is severe, gets worse, feels different, or does not get better with over-the-counter medicines

If any of the above symptoms seem severe, or if you are concerned but cannot reach the doctor or nurse, seek emergency help. These things don't always mean that there is a serious problem, but seeing a doctor or nurse is the only way to know for sure.

When can I play sports or do my usual activities again? — Ask your doctor when you can play sports or do your usual activities again. It will depend on your injury and symptoms, as well as the type of sport you play. Do not play sports on the same day as your injury.

When you are able to return to work also depends on your symptoms and the type of work you do.

It's important to let your brain heal completely after a concussion. Getting another concussion before your brain has healed can lead to serious brain problems.

How can I prevent another concussion? — To help prevent another concussion, you can:

●Wear a helmet when you ride a bike or motorcycle, or play certain sports.

●Wear a seat belt when you drive or ride in a car.

If you have had a concussion, it's very important to try to prevent future concussions. Having many concussions might cause long-term brain damage and affect your thinking.

More on this topic

Patient education: Head injury in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Headaches in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Vertigo (a type of dizziness) (The Basics)
Patient education: Postconcussion syndrome (The Basics)
Patient education: Head injury observation in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (The Basics)

Patient education: Headache treatment in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Head injury in children and adolescents (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Vertigo (Beyond the Basics)