How to diagnose a concussion

Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
Updated on September 19, 2024
00:00
00:00

Typically, patients with concussions do not show organic changes on head CT scans; their primary clinical symptoms include temporary disturbances in consciousness after the injury and short-term memory loss. Some patients also experience varying degrees of headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, blindness, impaired memory, or lack of concentration, among other clinical symptoms. Generally, the essential tests include: first, a head CT scan; second, an electroencephalogram (EEG); third, cerebrospinal fluid examination.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
39sec home-news-image

What to check for a concussion?

A head CT scan for concussion usually does not show organic changes, as it primarily stems from temporary dysfunction of brain neurological functions. The main symptoms include brief disturbances in consciousness, retrograde amnesia, and some patients may also experience a series of clinical symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. For patients with concussion, what we need to do is a head CT scan or an MRI of the head to rule out organic brain lesions. The second option is to examine the cerebrospinal fluid. The third option is to conduct an electroencephalogram (EEG) test.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
47sec home-news-image

What are the dangers of a concussion?

In general, as long as one follows medical advice, recovery from a concussion is usually quite satisfactory, and it rarely leaves any long-term harm. Short-term harm can result in the patient experiencing some very painful symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, etc. Such subjective experiences can comparatively make the patient suffer. For those who are emotionally excited or fragile, it may even lead to anxiety and depression, which are some of the recent damages. In the long term, some patients might experience a loss of memory, particularly short-term memory, which can also cause some inconvenience in their lives. However, overall, the damage from a concussion is very minimal, and as long as it is treated properly, there is generally no harm in the later stages.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Pei
Neurosurgery
24sec home-news-image

Symptoms of concussion

Concussion is the mildest form of traumatic brain injury. The symptoms of concussion primarily include: first, a brief period of clouded consciousness shortly after the injury, typically lasting from a few seconds to a few minutes, generally not exceeding half an hour; second, retrograde amnesia, where the patient cannot clearly recall the events during the injury, but memory of events prior to the injury remains clear; third, common symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, poor sleep, and decreased memory; fourth, the patient's cranial examination reveals no significant abnormalities, and lumbar puncture cerebrospinal fluid color and tests are normal.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Pei
Neurosurgery
56sec home-news-image

Is a concussion serious?

Concussion is the mildest form of traumatic brain injury. It occurs as a transient inhibition of brain function following head trauma, characterized by a brief period of confusion post-injury, usually not exceeding half an hour. Patients may also experience retrograde amnesia, unable to recall the incident of injury. Neurological examinations and head CT scans typically show no significant abnormalities, and results from lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid tests are normal. Most patients generally recover slowly after resting in bed for 1-2 weeks post-injury, without the need for special treatment. If symptoms such as headache or dizziness are prominent, some analgesics and sedatives or neurotrophic medications can be used for treatment, leading to gradual recovery. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
53sec home-news-image

Concussions are classified into several types.

Concussions are usually categorized into several levels based on the severity of their clinical symptoms. Generally, the higher the level, the more pronounced the symptoms in patients. They can generally be divided into five levels. Patients with a level one concussion may experience mild consciousness disturbances, but these are short-lived and generally do not leave noticeable residual effects. Patients with a level two concussion might experience slight headaches and dizziness, accompanied by vertigo. Patients with a level three concussion show evident retrograde amnesia. Patients with a level four concussion experience mild disturbances in consciousness, manifesting as states of drowsiness, stupor, or coma. Patients with a level five concussion present with clear clinical symptoms, characterized by recurrent headaches, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.