Patient education: Concussion in adults (The Basics)

What is a concussion? — A concussion is a mild brain injury that can cause confusion, memory loss, and headache. Sometimes people pass out (lose consciousness) when they have a concussion, but not always.

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

Common causes of mild brain injuries 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? — Symptoms that can happen 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

●Feeling very tired or sleepy

●Acting cranky, irritable, or not like themselves

Other symptoms that can happen hours to days after a concussion include:

●Trouble walking or talking

●Memory problems or problems paying attention

●Trouble sleeping

●Mood or behavior changes

●Being bothered by 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? — A concussion does not usually need treatment. Most concussions get better on their own, but it can take time. Some people's 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."

To help your recovery after a concussion, you can:

●Rest your body – Make sure to get plenty of sleep. Avoid heavy exercise or too much physical activity if it makes you feel worse.

●Rest your brain – Avoid doing activities that need concentration or a lot of attention if they make you feel worse. Sometimes activities using screens, especially video games, can make people feel worse after a concussion. You can start doing these things again as you get better.

●Not drink alcohol or use marijuana while you are still having symptoms of concussion

●Take a pain-relieving medicine, if you have a headache – You can choose one with acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol) or ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin).

When should I call the doctor or nurse? — If you had a concussion, or think you might have had one, call your doctor or nurse. They can tell you whether you should go to the emergency department, and how quickly you should be seen.

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. They should call the doctor or nurse right away if they have any trouble waking you up.

Someone should also call the doctor or nurse if:

●You have trouble staying awake

●You have a severe headache, or a headache that gets worse

●You vomit more than once

●You have a seizure

●You have trouble walking or talking

●Your vision changes

●You feel weak or numb in part of your body

●You lose control over your bladder or bowels

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 go back to playing on the same day as your injury.

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