A serious concussion can result in a wide range of symptoms that affect how a person thinks, acts, and feels. The severity of the concussion determines the intensity of the symptoms and how long they last. While every concussion is different, there are some common signs and experiences of a serious concussion.
What are the immediate symptoms of a serious concussion?
When a serious concussion first occurs, several symptoms may appear right away. These can include:
- Loss of consciousness – Being knocked out or blacking out is a telltale sign of a concussion. Loss of consciousness means the brain has undergone trauma.
- Confusion and disorientation – Not knowing where you are, feeling confused about time or your surroundings, or an inability to respond to simple questions indicates a state of mental fogginess.
- Memory loss – Both short-term and long-term memory can be disrupted. You may not recall what happened right before or after the injury.
- Headache – A sharp pain, pressure, or tightness in the head is very common. It may be localized or feel like your whole head hurts.
- Nausea and vomiting – The neurological disturbance can cause nausea and vomiting. This may happen right away or come on later after the injury.
- Dizziness – A feeling of wooziness and loss of balance often follows a concussion.
- Ringing in the ears – Hearing ringing, buzzing, roaring or other odd noises that have no external source indicates neurological dysfunction.
- Fatigue and grogginess – A lethargic and tired feeling regardless of how much sleep you get can signify a concussion.
The more severe the concussion, the greater the number and intensity of immediate symptoms. Someone with a serious concussion is likely to experience several of the above symptoms and potentially lose consciousness.
How long do concussion symptoms last?
The duration of concussion symptoms varies from person to person and depends on factors like:
- Severity of the injury
- Location of the impact
- Age of the person
- History of prior concussions
In a serious concussion, symptoms can last for weeks or even months. Here is an overview of the general timeline:
| Phase | Duration | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Acute | Up to 10 days | Most severe symptoms like headache, nausea, dizziness, confusion, and fatigue. |
| Subacute | 10 days to 3 months | Moderate symptoms start to improve but may persist like headache, concentration problems, and irritability. |
| Chronic | Beyond 3 months | A small percentage of people still have symptoms like mental fogginess and fatigue. |
As the brain heals, concussion symptoms and their severity gradually diminish. But a serious concussion can mean a longer road to recovery.
What cognitive symptoms occur?
Concussions frequently affect cognitive function and cause thinking difficulties. Common cognitive symptoms of a serious concussion include:
- Concentration and focus issues – Impaired ability to pay attention, concentrate, and process information.
- Mental fogginess – Feeling slowed down, detached and fuzzy mentally.
- Impaired memory – Difficulty retaining new information and recalling past events.
- Slower processing speed – Taking longer to understand, react, and keep up during conversations.
- Easily confused – Easily mixed up, discombobulated and disoriented.
Everyday cognitive tasks like reading, studying, working, and making decisions suddenly become much more difficult after a concussion. Mental stamina plummets.
What emotional changes can happen?
With the neurological impact of a concussion, emotional volatility and mood changes often appear. Common emotional symptoms include:
- Irritability – Far less patience, more temper flare ups, and getting annoyed easily.
- Anxiety – Increased worry, rumination, restlessness, and feeling overwhelmed.
- Depression – Feeling sad, empty, hopeless, worthless, or trapped.
- Mood swings – Emotions quickly vacillating back and forth.
- Apathy – Loss of motivation, concern for others, and engagement.
The emotional impact of concussions is often overlooked but it takes a serious toll on relationships, work, and overall wellbeing. Mood tends to stabilize as the brain heals.
What are the physical symptoms like?
In addition to cognitive and emotional symptoms, a variety of physical symptoms can arise too:
- Headaches – Anything from mild to excruciating head pain.
- Nausea – Persistent queasiness and feeling like you could vomit at any time.
- Fatigue – Feeling wiped out no matter how much you rest.
- Dizziness – A frequent sense of wooziness and loss of balance.
- Visual problems – Trouble focusing your eyes, blurred or double vision.
- Sensitivity to light and noise – Bothered by sights and sounds that never used to affect you.
- Numbness and tingling – Feeling numb or getting odd tingling sensations in parts of your body.
- Sleep disturbances – Difficulty falling or staying asleep.
Lingering physical symptoms make day-to-day life much harder. A serious concussion can greatly reduce someone’s overall energy and stamina too.
How do serious concussions affect daily life?
The combination of cognitive, emotional, and physical symptoms can take a major toll on daily functioning. Activities, roles, and routines that used to come easily can suddenly become extremely taxing. Common struggles include:
- Reduced productivity – Thinking at a slower pace, impaired focus, fatigue, and increased errors.
- Difficulty at work or school – Trouble learning new things, remembering details, concentrating for long periods, and managing stress.
- Problems in relationships – Irritability leading to more conflicts with family and friends. Feelings of depression reducing connections.
- Loss of independence – Depending more on others to help with tasks and reminders.
- Inability to exercise – Lack of energy, endurance, balance, and coordination hampering workouts.
- Decreased social activity – Avoiding crowded noisy settings that increase symptoms. Less engagement overall.
A serious concussion forces people to cut back and make major adjustments in all areas of life. It can take weeks or months to return to pre-concussion functioning.
When do concussion symptoms become a long-term problem?
Most people fully recover within weeks after a concussion. But for some, symptoms turn into a chronic long-term issue. Post-concussion syndrome is diagnosed when the following occurs:
- Lasting symptoms beyond 3 months
- Symptoms cause significant impairment in daily life
- No other underlying condition explains the symptoms
Studies show approximately 15-30% of people have post-concussion syndrome after 3 months. Risk factors for lasting symptoms include:
- History of migraines or other headaches
- Pre-existing mental health problems like depression or anxiety
- Multiple past concussions
- Younger age – Children and teens take longer to recover
- Mild traumatic brain injury misdiagnosed as just a mild concussion
Effective treatment for post-concussion syndrome focuses on managing specific lingering symptoms. Most people improve over time.
When to seek emergency care for a concussion
Most concussions do not require ER visits or hospitalization. However, emergency medical care is needed right away if any of the following danger signs appear:
- Severe headache that gets worse over time
- Repeated vomiting
- Loss of consciousness for more than 30 seconds
- Unusual pupil size or reactions to light
- Blurry or double vision
- Blood or fluid leaking from nose or ears
- Difficulty waking up or staying awake
- Slurred speech
- Weakness or numbness in arms or legs
- Increasing confusion or irritability
- Seizures
These red flags can indicate bleeding or swelling in the brain after a concussion. They require urgent medical intervention to prevent potentially permanent brain damage.
Concussion recovery tips
Recovering from a serious concussion requires time and patience. Here are some tips to help promote healing:
- Get lots of rest – Both physical and cognitive rest are important in the first weeks after a concussion.
- Avoid activities requiring concentration – Don’t do intense schoolwork, video games, computer use until symptoms improve.
- Take frequent breaks – Spread out cognitive and physical exertion throughout the day.
- Stay hydrated and eat well – Drink lots of water and eat regular nutritious meals.
- Limit stimuli – Reduce exposure to factors that exacerbate symptoms like loud noises and bright screens.
- Ask for accommodations – Get excused time off from work or modified schoolwork responsibilities.
- Check in with your emotions – Make space to process difficult feelings and get support if mood issues arise.
- Be patient with yourself – Healing takes time and frustration is normal.
Pushing too hard and too fast often backfires and prolongs recovery. Let your symptoms be your guide and take it day by day.
Conclusion
A serious concussion is a life-altering injury. The traumatic impact can produce a wide spectrum of cognitive, emotional, and physical effects. The symptoms can persist for weeks and profoundly impact day-to-day functioning. Some people even develop post-concussion syndrome with lasting problems. With patience and proper care, most people fully recover. But a serious concussion needs to be managed carefully to avoid complications. Paying attention to your symptoms and getting sufficient rest after the injury give your brain the best chance to heal.