A concussion is an injury to the brain that causes problems with how the brain works. It can affect things like memory, balance, focus, decision making, and coordination.
A concussion is caused by a blow to the head or shaking of the head from things like:
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Concussions are more common in men. Things that raise the risk of this problem are:
A concussion can cause symptoms that may last for days, weeks, or even longer. They may be start right away or a few hours or days after the injury. Common physical problems are:
Other problems may be:
The doctor will ask about your symptoms, past health, and how injury happened. A physical exam will be done. This is enough to make the diagnosis.
Concussions should be examined by a doctor. Most will be able to heal at home after exam. Those with severe symptoms may be kept in the hospital for monitoring.
The goal of treatment is to let the brain rest so that it can heal. Some rest is recommended for first 24 to 48 hours but full rest is not always needed. It may take longer for all symptoms to pass. Recovery may require:
Steps will need to be taken to prevent a second brain injury. It can lead to serious problems.
To lower the risk of concussion:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov
Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians
http://familydoctor.org
Brain Injury Association of Canada
http://biac-aclc.ca
Ontario Brain Injury Association
https://obia.ca
Concussion and mild traumatic brain injury. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/concussion-and-mild-traumatic-brain-injury. Accessed May 13, 2020.
Lumba-Brown A, Yeates KO, et al. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guideline on the Diagnosis and Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Among Children. JAMA Pediatr. 2018 Nov 1;172(11):e182853.
Sports-related concussion information for athletes. Wesleyan University Athletic Injury Care website. Available at: http://athletics.wesleyan.edu/Performance_-_Care/concussions. Accessed May 13, 2020.
Traumatic brain injury and concussion. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/TraumaticBrainInjury/index.html. Accessed May 13, 2020.
What can I do to help feel better after a mild traumatic brain injury? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/recovery.html. Updated February 12, 2019. Accessed May 13, 2020.
2/21/2017 EBSCO DynaMed Systematic Surveillance https://www.dynamed.com/condition/concussion-and-mild-traumatic-brain-injury: Grool AM, Aglipay M, et al. Association between early participation in physical activity following acute concussion and persistent postconcussive symptoms in children and adolescents. JAMA. 2016 Dec 20;316(23)2504-2514.
Last reviewed February 2021 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Warren A. Bodine, DO, CAQSM Last Updated: 6/22/2021