A Concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by a hit or blow to the head, face (especially the chin), neck, or elsewhere on the body where the force is transmitted to the head. It is temporary and symptoms usually appear within a few minutes or hours. Hence, it’s important to monitor yourself or a loved one for a few days for any symptoms or changes. For the vast majority of people, its effects only last a few hours to a few weeks. Some people need emergency treatment, however, most concussions, including sports-related concussions, have minimal to mild effects and very few will have prolonged problems.
Physical symptoms of a concussion can include a loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, nausea, feeling sick, fatigue/tiredness, clumsiness or balance trouble, vision changes (e.g., double vision, blurred vision, “seeing stars”), sensitivity to light or noise, numbness/tingling, and sleep difficulties. Cognitive symptoms include memory difficulties, repeating questions or thoughts, feeling dazed or foggy, trouble concentrating during a conversation or when reading, confusion, and slower thinking or speaking speed. Emotional symptoms are increased irritability or mood swings, sadness, anxiety or nervousness, and being more emotional.
Those who are suspected to have a concussion should go to the hospital if they have lost consciousness, have memory problems, persistent headache, and feel sick or have sustained mood changes after several days. In addition, one should go to the hospital if they have been drinking or taking recreational drugs, if they have had a concussion or brain injury in the past, have had a brain operation in the past, or are taking blood-thinners (e.g., eliquis, pradaxa, savaysa, arixtra, heparin [fragmin, innohep, lovenox], xarelto, warfarin [coumadin, jantoven]).
A concussion should only be diagnosed by a medical doctor or a neuropsychologist/psychologist, since neuroimaging cannot sufficiently detect functional changes in the brain after a concussion. Neuropsychological assessments are very important in identifying the presence of a concussion and understanding the reasons for lingering difficulties in thinking, physical, visual, and emotional functioning, especially for individuals with repeat head and brain injuries.