What is a Concussion?

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Understand what causes a concussion and learn to identify concussion symptoms

If you’ve had a sudden jolt or blow to the head, you might experience a mild traumatic brain injury, commonly known as a concussion. Typically, concussions resolve within a few weeks as headaches and other symptoms subside. Patients return to work, school, or athletic activities, often feeling as capable as they did before their injury.

About 20% of concussions are at risk for longer lasting or more severe symptoms that require additional evaluation and treatment. In these cases, we provide our sub-specialty brain injury expertise and resources in partnership with schools, sports medicine professionals, primary care providers, and general neurologists.

Conditions that might be classified as a complex concussion, putting you at risk for a prolonged or complicated recovery, include:

  • Having had a concussion within the past 6 months
  • A history of complications from concussions
  • Abnormal imaging or testing results
  • Prominent dizziness, imbalance, or visual symptoms after concussion
  • A history of headaches, migraine, anxiety, or depression
  • Previous concussions
  • Other concerns you might have

Concussion symptoms

While most people recover from a concussion within two weeks, you may experience lingering physical, emotional, sleep, and cognitive symptoms beyond the two-week window of recovery. We provide a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach for patients aged 12 or older and who are experiencing persistent symptoms from a concussion that has occurred in the past six months

  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • A feeling of being off-balance
  • Sensitive to light and/or noise
  • Increased fatigue
  • Visual difficulties

  • Increased irritability
  • Feelings of sadness or being down
  • Anxiety or nervousness
  • Mood swings

  • Changes in your sleep patterns
  • Trouble falling and/or staying asleep

  • Decreased attention
  • Memory problems
  • Slower thinking
  • Difficulty following directions

Concussion education and prevention

A concussion is not a visible injury. For some people, symptoms of a concussion will develop immediately while others will have delayed symptoms days or weeks after the injury has occurred. Concussion education for athletes, parents, coaches, athletic staff, and peers is vital in understanding how to identify a concussion, seek the proper medical attention, and mitigate the risks of athletes sustaining concussions.

Preventing concussions through awareness

There is no specific method or equipment that will entirely protect a person from getting a concussion. However, concussion education is a preventative measure that includes encouraging safety among athletes and understanding concussion symptoms and signs so that the appropriate medical care is provided if an individual is concussed.

How you can help your athlete prevent a concussion

These are measures athletes, coaches, and parents can take to decrease the likelihood of players sustaining a concussion:

  • Ensure that they follow their coach’s rules for safety and the rules of the sport.
  • Encourage them to practice sportsmanship. Overly aggressive and dirty play in contact sports may lead to head injuries.
  • Make sure they wear the right protective equipment for their activity (such as helmets, padding, shin guards, and eye and mouth guards). Protective equipment should fit properly, be well maintained, and be worn consistently and correctly.
  • Learn the signs and symptoms of a concussion.

These are measures athletes, coaches, and parents can take to decrease the likelihood of players sustaining a concussion:

  • Ensure that they follow their coach’s rules for safety and the rules of the sport.
  • Encourage them to practice sportsmanship. Overly aggressive and dirty play in contact sports may lead to head injuries.
  • Make sure they wear the right protective equipment for their activity (such as helmets, padding, shin guards, and eye and mouth guards). Protective equipment should fit properly, be well maintained, and be worn consistently and correctly.
  • Learn the signs and symptoms of a concussion.

If an athlete sustains a jarring bump or blow to the head, they could experience a concussion. It’s imperative to their recovery that they are evaluated for a concussion as soon as their injury occurs. Looking for the following signs and symptoms can ensure the appropriate course of action is taken for their treatment.

Signs parents, coaches, and athletic staff may observe

  • Loses consciousness (even for a moment)
  • Disorientation and confusion
  • Inability to respond appropriately to questions
  • Blank or vacant stare
  • Facial injury after head trauma
  • Clutching head

Symptoms athletes may report include

Physical symptoms

  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • A feeling of being off-balance
  • Sensitive to light and/or noise
  • Increased fatigue
  • Visual difficulties


Emotional symptoms

  • Increased irritability
  • Feeling of sadness or being down
  • Anxiety or nervousness
  • Mood swings


Sleep symptoms

  • Changes in your sleep patterns
  • Trouble falling and/or staying asleep


Cognitive symptoms

  • Decreased attention
  • Memory problems
  • Slower thinking
  • Difficulty following directions

  • Seek medical attention right away. A healthcare professional will be able to decide how serious the concussion is and when it is safe for an athlete to return to regular activities, including sports.
  • Remove the athlete from play. Concussions take time to heal. Don’t let the athlete return to play the day of the injury. Wait to return to play until a healthcare professional says it’s okay. Athletes who return to play too soon increase their chance of having a repeat concussion. Repeat or later concussions can be very serious. They can cause permanent brain damage.
  • Inform your athlete’s coach about any recent concussion. Coaches should know if the athlete has had a recent concussion in any sport.

When should I see a specialist for my concussion symptoms?

Your primary care physician can diagnose and treat any concussion symptoms you may experience. However, if your symptoms do not go away after two weeks or worsen, a multidisciplinary facility such as the Complex Concussion Clinic can provide an individualized evaluation by a team of concussion specialists to determine the best course of treatment for your recovery.