Patient education: Postconcussion syndrome (The Basics)

What is postconcussion syndrome? — Postconcussion syndrome is a condition that happens after a mild brain injury. A "concussion" is another word for a mild brain injury. 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 postconcussion syndrome? — The symptoms include:

●Headache

●Dizziness or problems with balance

●Feeling very tired

●Feeling irritable, anxious, or depressed

●Memory problems or problems paying attention

●Problems with sleep

●Being easily bothered by noise or light

Some of these symptoms can make it hard to do your normal activities. As a result, they can be stressful or scary. It might help to keep in mind that they are real problems caused by your concussion, and they will get better with time.

Will I need tests? — Maybe. Your doctor or nurse should be able to tell if you have postconcussion syndrome by learning about your symptoms and doing an exam.

But depending on your symptoms, you might have tests to make sure you do not have a different problem. For example, some people have an imaging test called an MRI that creates pictures of the brain.

How is postconcussion syndrome treated? — The treatments are different depending on which symptoms you have. There are medicines that can help with headaches, dizziness, and other problems.

After a concussion, your doctor will tell you 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. Depending on your symptoms, you might not be able to go back to work full time right away.

If you have postconcussion syndrome, your symptoms will probably start to go away after about a week. Most people start to feel better in a week or 2, and are back to normal in 3 months. But a few people have symptoms that last longer. In these cases, your doctor might suggest medicines or other treatments.

More on this topic

Patient education: Concussion in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Head injury in children and teens (The Basics)
Patient education: Headaches in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Vertigo (a type of dizziness) (The Basics)