Assessment What can you do if you have a concussion
Assessment
What can happen?
A head injury or concussion can occur as a result of a direct injury after the head hits something with force or acceleration/deceleration or rotational forces to the head. This is followed by a secondary biochemical alteration. Effects are usually temporary. Some concussions will cause loss of consciousness, but most do not.
What can you do?
- Always seek emergency medical care.
- If you have a head injury, the brain needs a period of rest.
- You should gradually resume daily activities. Do not take on more than you feel comfortable with. If you have been over-doing things, you will become tired more easily.
- If your problems persist after four weeks, you should seek medical treatment. It is essential that an assessment is carried out by both a doctor and a neuropsychologist who will be able to evaluate various functions as well as finding a suitable treatment. You will also need help with suggesting ways to make things easier. It is important to use energy resources sensibly and economically and various tips and tricks can be used to do this.
What can you expect?
After a concussion, patients will often experience the following symptoms: headaches, dizziness, nausea and sickness, and high levels of fatigue. On the whole, these symptoms subside gradually within a few days or weeks. Most patients recover and will be able to resume daily life.
Some patients may experience persistent problems with the following symptoms over a longer period, these include above all: brain fatigue, concentration difficulties, sensitivity to light and noise, headaches, and dizziness. Fatigue levels will vary and there will often be an increase in fatigue levels during the course of the day. It will also take longer than usual for these patients to regain their mental energy.