The Basics
Written by the doctors and editors at UpToDate � �
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. � �
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
- Feeling very tired
- Feeling irritable or anxious
- Memory problems or problems paying attention
- Problems with sleep
- Being easily bothered by noise
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 a person has. There are medicines that can help with headaches, dizziness, and other problems. � �
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. � �
All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. � �
This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. � �
Topic 17132 Version 2.0 � �
Release: 22.8 - C22.208 � �
� � 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. � �
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� � 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. � �